The landline switch-off in January 2027: what changes for you?
Short answer
Openreach switches off the old landline network on 31 January 2027. Home phones on it move to digital lines that run through your broadband router. You can usually keep your number and handset. A digital line will not work in a power cut without battery backup, so tell your provider about telecare, alarms or weak mobile signal.
Updated
31 January 2027
Openreach's date to switch off the old phone network
1 hour
Minimum free power-cut backup, for households that need one
Same number
You can usually keep it on a digital line
Home phones on the Openreach network are moving from the old analogue network to digital lines that run over broadband. Most people keep their number and handset, but some households need to act first.
When does the landline switch-off happen?
- Openreach says the public switched telephone network, the old landline network, will be switched off on 31 January 2027.
- Ofcom says BT plans to retire its old landline network by that date. Virgin Media O2 and KCOM run separate networks, and dates for switching those have not yet been set.
- The original target was the end of 2025. BT moved it to 31 January 2027 for customers on the Openreach network, Which? reported in May 2024.
- If your line has not moved by then, Openreach says you may be placed on a limited emergency voice-only service, called EVAc, or lose service altogether.
Sources: Openreach: upgrading your home phone to digital (read 13 October 2026); Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026); Which?: Digital Voice migration deadline pushed back to 2027 (read 13 October 2026)
What changes when your landline goes digital?
- Your phone plugs into your broadband router instead of the wall socket, and Ofcom says you can keep your phone number.
- Openreach says your existing handset will work in most cases. Which? says some older phones need an adaptor.
- BT calls its digital service Digital Voice. Other providers use their own names, such as Sky Voice or TalkTalk Voice.
- Some households need new equipment, such as a router, adaptor or handset, Ofcom says. Openreach advises speaking to your provider as soon as possible if you still have a traditional line.
- Which? says you should never be charged simply to move to Digital Voice. Be wary of unexpected calls that set a tight deadline and ask for bank details.
Sources: Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026); Openreach: upgrading your home phone to digital (read 13 October 2026); Openreach: switching off PSTN across the UK (read 13 October 2026); Which?: Digital Voice and the landline phone switch-off (read 13 October 2026)
Who needs to act before January 2027?
Everyone with a traditional phone line on the Openreach network moves to a digital line. Some households should talk to their provider first.
- Openreach says everyone with a traditional phone line will need to move to a digital option.
- Tell your provider first if you or someone at home uses a care alarm, health pendant, security alarm or other device connected to the line, Ofcom says. For telecare, tell the device supplier too.
- Openreach also lists CCTV, card machines and lift phones among the equipment to check works with a digital line. If you live in a block with a lift, ask the building manager whether its phone line has been checked.
- Tell your provider if you have no mobile phone, or not enough mobile signal at home to call the emergency services.
- Renting a flat? Openreach says Full Fibre in a flat needs permission from the property owner or building manager. If Full Fibre is not possible, a digital line might still be added to your current broadband.
Sources: Openreach: switching off PSTN across the UK (read 13 October 2026); Openreach: upgrading your home phone to digital (read 13 October 2026); Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026)
How do you get ready for the switch-off?
- 1
List what uses your phone line
Check for telecare alarms, health pendants, security alarms, lift phones or card machines connected to the line.
- 2
Tell your provider and device suppliers
Ofcom says to tell your landline provider and your telecare supplier before the change, so they can check the device will work.
- 3
Ask about power-cut backup
If you have no working mobile or reliable signal, ask for the free backup Ofcom says your provider must offer.
- 4
Plug your phone into the router
Once your line moves, your phone connects to the broadband router. Make a test call and check that any alarm still works.
Sources: Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026); Openreach: switching off PSTN across the UK (read 13 October 2026)
Will a digital landline work in a power cut?
- Not without battery backup. Ofcom says digital landlines will not work in a power cut unless there is a battery back-up.
- If you have no working mobile or reliable mobile signal, Ofcom says your provider must offer you a free backup that lasts at least one hour. Some providers' backups last up to seven hours.
- If you rely on your landline, your provider must make sure you can contact the emergency services during a power cut, Ofcom says.
- Which? warns that most cordless phones also lose power in a power cut, so keep a corded phone or a charged mobile to hand.
Sources: Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026); Which?: Digital Voice and the landline phone switch-off (read 13 October 2026)
What if you only want a landline, or only broadband?
- Landline only: GOV.UK says there will still be a landline-only option for people who do not want internet. Which? reports that customers without broadband won't be required to take a service they don't want or need.
- Broadband only: Which? says new broadband customers are in most cases offered the option to have no phone line at all. If you rarely use the landline, ask whether you need one.
- Some providers are dropping landline packages. Plusnet says its packages that use a landline connection won't be supported from January 2027.
Sources: GOV.UK: UK transition from analogue to digital landlines (read 13 October 2026); Which?: five things to know about the landline switchover (read 13 October 2026); Which?: Digital Voice and the landline phone switch-off (read 13 October 2026); Plusnet: moving home (read 13 October 2026)
Moving house around the switch-off: what should you do?
- Ask about the phone line when you order broadband for the new home. Plusnet, for example, offers broadband-only packages, or an EE contract with Digital Home Phone for people who want a home phone.
- Your number may not move with you. Which? lists a change of address as one of the exceptions to keeping your number.
- Tell the new provider about any telecare or alarm before you move. Ofcom says providers can help check whether a device will work on a digital line.
- Order early. Ofcom's moving advice is to arrange a start date for the new service in time for when you move.
Sources: Plusnet: moving home (read 13 October 2026); Which?: Digital Voice and the landline phone switch-off (read 13 October 2026); Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026); Ofcom: moving home, top tips for keeping connected (read 13 October 2026)
What protections are there for vulnerable customers?
- If you or someone at home needs extra help, Ofcom says your provider must assess your needs and make arrangements to support you properly when it moves your line.
- For telecare users, providers can pause the change until a safe solution is in place, Ofcom says. Which? reports that providers agreed not to force telecare users onto digital phone services until a working alternative is in place.
- Providers including BT and Sky signed a charter of commitments to protect telecare users and other vulnerable customers in December 2023, and network operators including Openreach followed in March 2024, GOV.UK says.
- Ofcom says providers should give clear information, offer extra help with installation if you need it, and support you if anything goes wrong afterwards.
Sources: Ofcom: your landline is going digital (read 13 October 2026); Which?: Digital Voice and the landline phone switch-off (read 13 October 2026); GOV.UK: UK transition from analogue to digital landlines (read 13 October 2026)
Landline switch-off questions
When is the landline switch-off?
Openreach says it will switch off the old phone network on 31 January 2027, so home phones on the Openreach network move to digital lines before then. Ofcom says separate networks, such as Virgin Media O2 and KCOM, have not yet set their own dates.
Will I need broadband to keep my landline?
A digital landline works over a broadband connection, Ofcom says. GOV.UK says there will still be a landline-only option for people who do not want internet, so ask your provider what it offers if you do not want broadband at home.
Will my phone work in a power cut after the switch?
Not unless it has battery backup. If you have no working mobile or reliable signal, Ofcom says your provider must offer a free backup that lasts at least one hour. Keep a charged mobile or a corded phone too, as most cordless phones lose power.
What happens to telecare alarms when the landline goes digital?
Tell your provider and the alarm supplier before the change. Ofcom says providers can check whether a device will work and pause the change until a safe solution is in place, and Which? reports that providers agreed not to force telecare users onto digital lines.
Do I have to pay to move to a digital landline?
Which? says you should never be charged simply to move to Digital Voice, though extra equipment such as a second adaptor can cost money. Treat unexpected calls that demand payment or bank details for the switchover with suspicion, and call your provider on a number you trust.
Can I keep my phone number when I move house?
Not always. Which? lists a change of address as one of the exceptions to keeping your number. Ask your provider before you order a service at the new address, especially if you need to keep the number for work or family.
Plan your broadband and phone around the switch-off
Your landline will run over broadband, so the broadband deal and the move matter more.
Check the broadband your phone will run on
A digital landline runs over your broadband. Taupia is free: it monitors your broadband and mobile bills, compares deals and only switches once you approve. It cannot promise a saving.