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Guide · Digital phone switchover

PSTN switch-off checklist for businesses: what to check before 31 January 2027

Updated · Rotomal

The UK's analogue phone network (PSTN) closes on 31 January 2027. Every business line still on it, and everything plugged into it, such as fire and intruder alarms, lift emergency phones, card terminals, fax and franking machines, door entry and telecare, needs to move to a digital service or another connection before then. Lines that have not moved may be put on Openreach's temporary last-resort service, EVAc, or ceased. Start by listing every line and what is connected to it.

What is closing, and the dates that matter

BT is retiring the PSTN and Openreach is withdrawing its Wholesale Line Rental products. In September 2026 Openreach said the closure date of 31 January 2027 was unchanged, with around 1.2 million lines still to move, including around 350,000 business premises. The dates below are Openreach's dates for phone providers, as reported by ISPreview on 28 September 2026; your own provider may set earlier cut-offs, so ask.

DateWhat happens
30 October 2026Openreach's WLR3 exceptions process closes, apart from emergency restoration cases.
6 November 2026Deadline for letters of authority for novations and transfers of service.
31 January 2027PSTN closes. Final date for migration orders, bulk migrations and migration offers.
1 February 2027New WLR3 pricing and terms; managed moves of remaining lines to EVAc begin.
31 March 2027Migration orders with completion dates after this are cancelled.
From mid-April 2027Openreach expects to move lines that carry broadband while keeping the broadband running, where technically possible.

Devices at risk and who to ask

Government guidance, Openreach and fire services name the same kinds of equipment. Anything on this list that connects to a phone socket needs checking.

DeviceWho to ask
Fire alarm monitoring that signals to an alarm receiving centreYour fire alarm maintainer or monitoring company
Intruder alarm with a telephone diallerYour security alarm company
Lift emergency phoneYour lift maintenance contractor
Card payment terminal on a phone lineYour card terminal provider
Fax machine or fax lineYour phone provider, or cancel it
Franking machineYour franking machine supplier
Door entry and access controlThe installer
CCTV monitoringThe installer or monitoring company
Telecare alarmsThe telecare provider
Building management systems, meters, EV chargers and car park barriersThe supplier of each system

Two things that catch people out

  • Power cuts. Digital landlines cannot carry power, so equipment on them will not work in a power cut unless it has a battery backup or generator.
  • Router phone ports. The analogue telephone adapter (ATA) ports on routers are for voice calls only and are not suitable for alarms or other machine-to-machine services.

What happens to lines that have not moved

After the closure, Openreach may move remaining lines to EVAc, a limited last-resort phone service that keeps access to essential calls. It is available to residential and business lines, costs providers £35 a month for WLR3 Basic and £38.60 for WLR Premium, cannot be ordered in advance, and has limited capacity that cannot be reserved. Where technically possible, Openreach will keep linked broadband running. Single lines that cannot be moved to EVAc will be ceased in tranches.

Openreach's own advice to businesses is not to rely on it: a business still on the old network after 31 January 2027 may be moved to EVAc or may lose its service.

The checklist

  • Find every number you pay for, from phone bills, including lines billed to a landlord or managing agent.
  • For each line, record its location, what is connected, the connection type, the supplier or responsible person, and whether it is still needed.
  • Ask your alarm company, lift contractor and card terminal provider whether their equipment works on a digital line and what happens in a power cut.
  • Ask your phone provider when your line will move and whether it has a cut-off earlier than 31 January 2027.
  • Cancel lines nobody needs.
  • After each move, test the device: a test call from the lift, a test signal from the alarm to the receiving centre, a card payment.
  • Keep a dated record of what changed. Fire services remind building managers that fire safety measures must be kept in working order.

Doing it yourself or paying for an audit

The GOV.UK checklist is free and works if you already know what is plugged into every socket. Provider assessments are also free, and come with that provider's own service in mind. Phone Line Audit is a £49 remote audit per site: we sell no lines, so we map every line and device, whoever maintains it, and give each contractor a one-page action sheet. We do not make the changes ourselves.

Questions

Is the PSTN switch-off date still 31 January 2027?

Yes. Openreach confirmed in September 2026 that the closure date is unchanged.

Will my business line be cut off on 1 February 2027?

Not necessarily on that day. Remaining lines may be moved to Openreach's temporary EVAc service, but its capacity is limited, and single lines that cannot be moved to it will be ceased in tranches.

How much will EVAc cost?

Openreach charges providers £35 a month for WLR3 Basic and £38.60 for WLR Premium, excluding VAT according to ISPreview. Those are wholesale prices; your provider sets what you pay, and ISPreview notes the retail price will be higher.

Does my fire alarm need changing?

If it signals to an alarm receiving centre over a phone line, ask your maintainer now. Fire services say the responsible person must keep fire safety measures working and should get assurance that alarm systems will work after January 2027.

Are 350,000 business premises really still on the old network?

That was Openreach's figure in September 2026: around 1.2 million lines still operating, including around 350,000 business premises.

Sources