By Andrew Walwyn
Many UK businesses are still treating the PSTN switch-off like a future problem.
It isn’t.
Openreach has confirmed that the analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will be retired by 31 January 2027, marking the end of traditional copper-based phone services that have supported UK businesses for decades. Yet despite the deadline being less than a year away, around 350,000 business premises are still relying on legacy services that need to be migrated.
For organisations that continue to depend on these ageing systems, waiting is becoming an increasingly expensive and risky decision.
Why is the switch happening?
The UK’s analogue telephone network has supported businesses for decades, but it has reached the end of its operational life and is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain; replacement parts are harder to source, and the technology simply wasn’t designed for today’s cloud-first way of working.
Modern businesses depend on digital services, from Microsoft 365 and cloud-based CRMs to VoIP telephony, remote working, CCTV and payment systems.
Moving to an all-IP network is a necessary step towards a more resilient and capable communications infrastructure.
This isn’t just happening in the UK
The UK’s PSTN switch-off is part of a much broader transition.
Across Europe, network operators are retiring legacy copper infrastructure in favour of fibre and all-IP networks. Countries including Spain and Norway have already completed their copper switch-offs, while many others have published plans to follow. Australia has also been replacing its legacy fixed-line network as part of its National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout.
The direction of travel is clear. Legacy networks are reaching the end of their operational life, and organisations that prepare early will be better placed to avoid disruption and take advantage of more resilient connectivity.
What will the change mean for businesses?
Many organisations still have equipment quietly relying on analogue lines without realising it. This can include:
- Business phone systems
- Payment terminals
- Alarm systems
- CCTV
- Lift emergency phones
- Door entry systems
- Monitoring equipment
- Broadband services that still depend on traditional phone lines
If these systems aren’t reviewed and migrated before the deadline, they may simply stop working once the legacy network is withdrawn.
Why waiting carries more risk
Some businesses have assumed the deadline would move again.
Current guidance suggests otherwise. Openreach has stated that the remaining technical barriers have now been resolved and the January 2027 deadline is fixed. Businesses that delay migration also face increasing charges for legacy services before those services are withdrawn altogether.
The organisations that act early benefit most, by using the opportunity to review how resilient their connectivity really is.
How Brdy can help
At Brdy, we help businesses remove connectivity risk before it becomes operational disruption.
Whether you’re replacing legacy PSTN services, moving to digital communications, or reviewing your wider infrastructure resilience, we design connectivity around how your business operates.
That may include:
- Reliable business broadband
- Satellite connectivity where traditional infrastructure falls short
- Automatic failover connectivity
- Resilient communications for remote or hard-to-reach sites
Our role is to ensure your business can continue operating when traditional connectivity isn’t available, isn’t reliable enough, or can’t be trusted.
Talk to Brdy
If you’re unsure whether your current services will be affected by the PSTN switch-off, now is the time to review your estate.
A straightforward assessment today can help avoid unnecessary disruption, rising costs and last-minute migrations as the deadline approaches.