The retirement of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is scheduled for January 2027. This transition requires all legacy UK phone and broadband connections to be upgraded to fully digital, fibre-based services utilizing IP technology. Connect In Cloud specializes in managing this essential migration, ensuring your business navigates the change smoothly and is fully equipped for the future of communication.
The PSTN switch-off involves replacing the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which can no longer support the demands of today’s level of communication, with a far more resilient full-fibre network.
Openreach is responsible for updating local telephone exchanges across the UK to move across to this new network. The goal of this upgrade is to enable fast, reliable, and cost-effective connectivity.
Once the PSTN is fully switched off, all traditional lines that rely on it will become fully obsolete. These include:
All traditional PSTN lines, such as analogue or digital phone lines.
ISDN phone systems used by businesses.
Older internet connections, such as ADSL and FTTC broadband.
To prepare for this change, businesses must upgrade their telecoms and connectivity to ensure they stay in touch and are ready for an all-digital future.
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) closure, scheduled for January 2027, mandates a shift for every UK business to a fully digital, fibre-based network. The initial milestone, the national ‘stop sell,’ came into effect on 5th September 2023, halting the sale of traditional phone lines and FTTC broadband and freezing changes to legacy telephony infrastructure.
This migration is comprehensive. It affects not only core telephony but also existing broadband connections and critical equipment that utilizes the PSTN network, including alarms, EPOS machines, door entry systems, and CCTV. Connect In Cloud provides the expert strategy needed to upgrade all your affected systems ahead of the deadline.
Dating back to the late 1800s, the copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) has become fragile and extremely costly to maintain. It is functionally obsolete, failing to support 21st-century demands for higher speeds and bandwidth as the UK advances its digital future.
With speed, accessibility, and reliability now at the top of the agenda, the replacement of the PSTN is necessary. Connect In Cloud guides your transition to a modern network where robust digital technology, fibre, and internet connectivity are the foundation of your operations.
Openreach is retiring the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in 2027. This mandatory digital transition requires every UK business currently using PSTN-based services to upgrade to a fibre-based network ahead of the deadline.
Openreach is on schedule to complete the replacement of the old copper infrastructure by 2027. Because migration is already fully underway, copper-based PSTN services are already unavailable for purchase in many exchange areas. Connect In Cloud will manage your upgrade process efficiently and ensure your continued connectivity.
Reports indicate that approximately 2.4 million businesses across the UK still rely on legacy telephone lines and ISDN networks. As the mandatory PSTN switch-off approaches, relying on these systems presents a significant risk, as they will cease to function.
Connect In Cloud recommends leveraging this transition period to move from ISDN/PSTN services to fibre-based technology, ensuring a secure and future-proof connection. Discover the unexpected effects on your connectivity by reading our detailed article below.
Although the final PSTN switch-off is in 2027, the initial deadline for the ‘stop sell’ on all traditional phone lines passed in September 2023. If you currently rely on a PSTN service, migration to IP (VoIP) telephony and fibre broadband is inevitable.
Connect In Cloud recommends upgrading your services and systems now. This allows for a methodical transition, ensuring you can take advantage of the benefits of hosted telephony and fibre connectivity ahead of the competition, while securely futureproofing your business.
Make all your business calls over the internet, complete with options for recording and analysing calls for training purposes. VoIP phone systems enable businesses of all types and sizes to operate more efficiently, faster, and from any location.
Business SIP trunking offers a unified communication solution that provides a highly adaptable and cost-effective alternative to traditional ISDN lines for your business phone system.
SoGEA broadband (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access) gives your business broadband service without the need for a traditional phone line. Everything you need is provided through a single order from one supplier.
Eliminate unreliable internet connectivity and embrace full fibre! The experts at Focus Group are prepared to deliver cutting-edge business fibre broadband directly to your workspace – reliable, secure, and incredibly fast.
Achieve unparalleled connectivity speeds with wireless leased lines. These lines offer top-tier resilience, providing access to an uncontended wireless network combined with business-grade fibre, ensuring 100% uptime.
The Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) is due to be disconnected by Openreach on 31st of January 2027. As a result of this every phone line for UK businesses will move to a fully digital network that operates using voice over internet protocol technology (VoIP) that operates over a fibre-based service. The PSTN switch off will not only effect phone lines across the UK, it will also involve switching broadband lines away from a standard copper line onto a full-fibre network that is being rolled out across the country.
The rollout is gradual across the UK and may mean that you may need to switch from PSTN to fibre and IP services before the January 2027 deadline, it is important to ensure that you switch your services as soon as possible to ensure there is no loss of phone and broadband service as a result.
All traditional PSTN lines, such as analogue or digital phone lines, ISDN phone systems used by businesses, and older internet connections, such as ADSL and FTTC broadband, will all become obsolete. So, if your business is using any of these legacy connections for its phone lines or broadband, it’s time to upgrade to a full fibre connection and a VoIP-based phone system.
Unfortunately, it was announced on the 22nd of May 2024 that the PSTN switch off 2025 was not going to be feasible by BT Openreach. The deadline has since been delayed to January 2027 where all analogue phone lines are set to be deactivated, moving the countries infrastructure to full fibre.
Openreach will close the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), however even with the delay it is still important for all businesses to change over to IP based servers as soon as possible to prevent loss of service when the switch off reaches their premises.
It’s fair to say that the PSTN has served the world of communication well since its introduction back in the late 1800s. However, the copper-based network is old, has become fragile and increasingly difficult to maintain. It’s been straining under the weight of 21st century demands for fast, reliable connectivity and, quite simply, is no longer fit for purpose.
Navigating the wide array of VoIP business phone systems can be complex, but Connect In Cloud provides expert guidance. We assess your specific business requirements, outline all viable options, and ensure you select the best solution. Our diverse portfolio includes solutions for businesses of all sizes, such as Gamma Horizon, Microsoft Teams phone system, Phoneline+, SIP trunking, and 3CX. We manage every aspect of your migration to guarantee a seamless transition to an all-IP future.
As exchange areas hit 75% completion for installation of fibre connections, “stop sell” notices are being issued on copper-based services. After this point, the services will be withdrawn. Businesses need to upgrade to fibre-based telecoms and internet solutions ahead of this withdrawal process to ensure continuity of service. Look at what services you need to migrate now, avoid a last-minute panic or potentially long-lead times for the installation of new services and take advantage of all the benefits of VoIP services sooner rather than later.
PSTN is a basic service which uses the circuit-switched copper phone lines to transmit analogue voice data. Used for decades in homes and businesses, a PSTN phone number is equivalent to one line and can’t be used for anything else whilst a call is being made. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) uses IP-based technology to make calls over the internet – enabling faster, cheaper, more reliable and flexible communication, whilst also removing the need to rely on expensive and high maintenance copper-based services.
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network – allows the digital transmission of voice, video and data over the traditional PSTN phone lines. Put simply, it allows you to make phone calls and access the internet using the same port as your phone line but the departure from the PSTN will also mean an ISDN switch off.
Yes. Openreach is already busy preparing exchanges across the UK and the migration to new, full fibre connections is now well underway. In some exchange areas, a stop sale of legacy PSTN phone lines has already been implemented. You will need to update your legacy telephony and connectivity to a full fibre and hosted solution to ensure your business remains connected before the full Openreach UK WLR switch-off in 2027. *Please note - In some exchange areas, a stop sale of legacy PSTN phone lines has already been implemented & all exchanges will fall into this rule by October 2023.
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