From December 2022, the UK’s PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) will begin to be switched off, signifying an end to traditional landlines.

What is the PSTN and what does it mean?

In 2017, Openreach announced their intention to switch the old network off by December 2025. The UK’s copper wire telephone network has been in use since 1876 and is increasingly old fashioned and unable to keep up with the demands of new technology.

The PSTN switch off effectively means an end to traditional landlines. Therefore any analogue phone systems, as well as any broadband internet connections which use landlines, will need to be replaced before this date. This might also include alarms, CCTV, door entry systems and fax machines if they are also linked to PSTN or ISDN lines.

What do I need to do?

Everyone, both home users and organisations, will need to find a solution for their existing services and technology by this final date, although the exact timing of the switch off in your area will depend on their schedule as they move around the country as it is a phased approach. Salisbury will be the first town to have the PSTN switched off next month, and then the rest of the switch off will roll out across the UK over the next three years.

In simple terms, every phone line in the UK will need to become digital. This means that calls will be routed via IP (Internet Protocol) instead. You can move to a digital, cloud-based phone system and use your existing internet connection to transmit voice calls. This means that numbers and calls are accessible from any location, not just in an office or other specific site; you get all the advantages of a fully featured business class system without the need for phone lines, handsets or any hardware at all. This offers versatility and is particularly beneficial for hotdesking or flexible and remote working practices as employees. For more information on the benefits and costs, have a look at our Cloud Talk service here.

If you would prefer to continue to use physical handsets or desk phones, you can also choose a Hosted VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solution. It is also flexible (the handsets work from any location with an internet connection) and no other hardware is required. We also offer a Hosted VoIP service.

In parallel to the switch off, Openreach are creating the infrastructure for a full fibre broadband network across the UK. This will allow both home and business users to upgrade their connection to robust, high-bandwidth one required for the new systems via a range of providers. The main concern at the moment is whether this will be fully deployed and ready by the switch-off date, especially in very rural areas.

For additional services such as CCTV and alarms, you might be able to switch the existing item over to an IP mode or upgrade to an IP equivalent. Alternatively, you could use an Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA) device to convert the signal to a digital one. Some older models, however, will need replacing. Contact your provider regarding this to ask what they plan to do.

When to act

The first area to be switched off will be Salisbury in December 2022. Before the switch off in your area, there will be a national “stop sell” announcement, also on a phased basis across each region, which means that you won’t be able to purchase any new PSTN or ISBN services (or switch providers) in readiness.

The final stop sell date will be September 2023, although it will be enforced sooner than this in many areas in line with the switch off schedule.