Nationwide switch to all-digital landlines less than a year away, new BT campaign issues important warning

May 11, 2026 - 06:28

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Nationwide switch to all-digital landlines less than a year away, new BT campaign issues important warning

BT just launched a new campaign to highlight the fast-approaching deadline to switch over to broadband-powered landlines in the UK. Dubbed Don’t Put Off the Switch, the campaign is fronted by Clare Balding.

The telecom warned of possible disruption if customers delay taking action on the analogue switchover. BT research found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of UK adults regularly put off essential tasks – and 3 in 10 admit to missing a deadline for these critical chores. The UK’s analogue landline network will be switched off in January 2027.

Thousands unaware of UK landline switch off

BT said the switchover represented a “significant national upgrade”, as the UK moves from decades-old infrastructure to more reliable digital landlines.

BT Consumer Digital Voice Director, Lucy Baker said: "As our research shows, it’s easy to overlook messages from service providers, but doing so could disrupt essential connections. The switch to digital landlines is a significant, once-in-a-generation upgrade to the UK’s communications infrastructure.

"It’s important to take action when contacted, so everyone can benefit from more reliable, secure technology and stay connected to the services they rely on."

While there's a long list of benefits when switching to a broadband-powered landline, the industry-wide move to these future-proofed phones has proven to be controversial.

Broadband-powered landlines use Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, to connect your calls. If you’ve ever made a call over Wi-Fi or 5G to friends or family using WhatsApp, Skype, or Messenger, then you’re already familiar with VoIP technology. It enables several new features, like the ability to call multiple people at the same time, better call quality, the ability to block numbers, and incoming spam prevention.

More than 91 million scam and spam attempts on BT customers were blocked last year alone, thanks to the improvements afforded by these newer landlines. BT, Virgin Media, and TalkTalk refer to this internet-powered landline as “Digital Voice”, but depending on your provider, they might use a different term.

If you're not (yet) able to get fast full-fibre broadband at your home address, you won't be able to switch to a Digital Voice landline. Until BT-owned Openreach upgrades the infrastructure in your local area, you'll be able to continue using traditional copper-based landlines for now.

These phone lines, known as PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) in industry lingo, have served as the backbone of communication across the UK in some form or another for well over 100 years. However, those who rely on these ageing landlines are quickly becoming a minority.

Discussing the switch in the Don’t Put Off the Switch campaign, presenter Clare Balding said: “When your provider gets in touch, it’s vitally important you act to ensure your landline services keeps running smoothly. If you don’t respond, the services you rely on could be disrupted.

"The good news is you won’t be on your own – BT will guide you every step of the way."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Plans for a UK-wide landline switch-off were first confirmed back in late 2017 by the telecom industry itself — somewhat uniquely, this is not a Government scheme or deadline.

Industry figures said they struggled to source the correct parts to maintain and repair analogue phone lines, as few companies still produce parts for this century-old telephone system. A number of other countries across mainland Europe are undergoing similar upgrades at the moment because of similar struggles.

However, the process of switching households to Digital Voice has been plagued with a slew of issues, which saw BT customers lose access to the landline number they’d held for 50 years and others stranded without a landline connection for days. But the biggest headache has been for the 1.8 million elderly and vulnerable people living in the UK who rely on telecare safety alarms.

Compatibility issues with internet-powered landlines have caused some critical calls to fail.

These personal alarms, often worn on a lanyard around the neck or on a bracelet, are designed to be activated in a health emergency or after a fall. Working alongside the UK Government, BT and other telecom providers have agreed to a series of new measures to protect vulnerable customers and those with additional needs, including telecare users.

Landline-only customers, those who use telecare or who have additional needs will not need to make the switch before the revised 2027 deadline, BT has announced. Telecom providers are developing new landline technology that could solve some of the compatibility issues with Digital Voice.

Over the last decade, Openreach has rapidly expanded its full-fibre network. It now covers 21 million premises, some 60% of UK homes. And the BT-owned brand isn't finished yet — it's still bringing an extra 1 million homes online every three months or so. Openreach wants to reach 25 million premises by the end of 2026, and 30 million by 2030.

Unsure if your address has been connected yet? Openreach offers an online postcode checker to see if they can already order a Full Fibre service or alternatively, check by contacting their service provider.

a bt digital voice handset is pictured on a sideboard with plants and a lamp

10 facts about the UK landline switch-off

It's not just BT — all UK telecom firms are moving away from analogue landlines
New system relies on VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) system to make calls
VoIP used by apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Messenger to make audio calls
Some companies use "Digital Voice" brand for VoIP, while others call it something else
Your landline number should never be changed during the switchover
The traditional copper landline network will stop working in early 2017
Existing broadband customers won't be charged extra after the switch
Traditional landlines continue to work during a power cut as they draw power from the exchange
However, VoIP systems will not work during outages without a backup power bank
Some personal safety alarms do not work with Digital Voice phones

Countdown to the death of traditional copper landlines

1992 – Introduction of the first dial-up internet service to UK customers, Pipex

2000 – First UK home broadband launches in the UK ...and is taken up by a single customer in Essex

2008 – First residential full-fibre broadband connection goes live in a housing development in Ebbsfleet, Kent. It becomes the first place nationwide to use fibre-optic cables directly to the home, with telephone services and broadband delivered over the same cables

2010 – Services with speeds of 30Mbps (megabits per second) are sold in the UK. With this rate of speed, internet users can download or stream music, games or TV shows

2013 – The first ‘fibre only’ exchange goes live in Deddington. The Oxfordshire village was chosen as a pilot location for the first fibre-only exchange

2018 – Plans to retire the old telephone network within seven years are announced. This will see everyone in the UK upgraded to a digital phone line, laying the foundations for the future

2019 – Salisbury becomes the first "Openreach Full Fibre" city in the UK. The Wiltshire city has the fastest citywide network in the UK

2020-2023 – Openreach ends the sale of copper landlines, beginning at an exchange level and then nationally. From September 5th 2023, BT customers across the UK could no longer buy traditional phones

2027 – Retiring the old analogue phone network. By this time, everyone in the UK will be upgraded to a digital phone line – which will use the broadband network to make calls in a similar way to other Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technologies like Skype, FaceTime, and Microsoft Teams

Additional Reporting By Alan Jones, Press Association Industrial Correspondent

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