The UK’s traditional landline network - the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) - is being permanently switched off by January 2027.
This isn’t just a technical upgrade. If you run a shop, trade business, or consultancy that still uses a landline, this change could affect how you take calls, process card payments, or even receive alarm signals.
In this blog, we break it down using the classic 5 Ws and an H (Who, What, When, Why, Where, and How) to make the whole thing much easier to understand.
Who Will the PSTN Switch-Off Affect?
The PSTN switch-off affects everyone — but small businesses are among the most exposed.
You’re likely affected if you:
- Still take customer calls using a landline
- Have a desk phone plugged into a wall
- Use a card machine, alarm, or lift line connected to a phone socket
- Have no current plan to upgrade your system
Examples:
- Retail: A shop uses a landline to take orders and process card payments.
- Trade: A plumber lists a landline on their van and takes calls at home.
- Consultancy: A small team has a legacy desk phone system that no one really understands anymore.
What’s Actually Being Switched Off?
The PSTN is the UK’s old copper-wire phone system — and it’s being permanently shut down.
This includes:
- Traditional landlines
- ISDN business lines
- Analogue phone sockets
Even if your current system still works today, it may stop sooner than 2027 depending on where you're located.
When Is The PSTN Switch-Off Happening?
The switch-off is being rolled out gradually, exchange by exchange, and it’s already well underway.
Here’s the latest update by region (as of mid-2025):
- Salisbury & Mildenhall - Fully switched
- London - Mostly transitioned
- North West - In progress
- East Midlands - Mostly complete
- Scotland - Partial rollout
- West Midlands - Ongoing rollout
- Wales - In progress
- South East - Rolling out in 2025–2026
- South West - Not yet fully started
- Northern Ireland Mixed progress
Key date: New PSTN lines haven’t been sold since September 2023. Most businesses will need to migrate by end of 2025 to avoid service disruption.
Why Is the PSTN Being Switched Off?
The PSTN is outdated and expensive to maintain. It relies on decades-old infrastructure and specialist engineers — and it simply can’t keep up with today’s digital demands.
The UK (and many other countries) is moving to fully digital networks, where calls run over internet connections (like fibre or mobile data), not copper wires.
This allows:
- Lower running costs
- More flexible phone systems
- Better long-term support
How Will It Affect Your Business?
If you don’t act in time, you could face:
- Missed customer calls
- Inactive card terminals or alarms
- Lost business from unreachability
- A last-minute scramble to replace your system
What Should You Do Now?
Here’s a simple checklist to stay ahead of the switchover:
1. Audit your setup
Are you using a landline, a desk phone, or a phone socket for anything?
2. Check with your provider
Ask if your services still rely on PSTN. If they do, they’ll need replacing.
3. Plan your replacement
Don’t wait until 2026 — upgrade before summer 2025 to avoid the rush.
A Better Alternative: Business-Ready Mobile Connectivity for the PSTN Switch-Off
As the UK retires landlines, most businesses are being pushed toward complex, expensive VoIP systems. But there’s a simpler option.
Mobile+ gives you everything you need to replace your landline — without desk phones, hosted VoIP, or new hardware.
What Is Mobile+?
Unlimited voice and data — with built-in business phone features to replace your landline.
Mobile+ combines best-in-class mobile connectivity with the essential tools of a business phone system — all delivered via SIM or eSIM and managed in the cloud.
It replaces:
- Traditional landlines
- Desk phones
- Basic mobile contracts
- Hosted VoIP bolt-ons
All without complicated installations or learning curves.
What’s Included
1. Business Mobile Connectivity
- Unlimited UK voice and data plans
- SIM or eSIM — your choice
- Use on any employee’s phone (BYOD or company-issued)
- International usage and roaming options available
2. Built-In Business Communications
- Keep your existing landline number — and use it on mobile
- Call from your business identity, not your personal number
- Inbound call routing, call recording and call transfer
Why This Matters for the PSTN Switch-Off
As legacy phone lines disappear, small businesses need more than just a mobile contract, they need a full replacement for the business calling experience.
Mobile+ delivers:
- Business numbers that stay with you
- Team connectivity across any device
- A mobile-based system that’s ready in minutes — not weeks
- We offer physical desk phones if required
Whether you're in retail, trade, or professional services, Mobile+ helps you stay reachable, responsive, and ready for what’s next.
Move Your Landline to Mobile Today
With Mobile+, you can skip the VoIP hassle and move straight to a modern, mobile-based business phone system.
Talk to us about switching now: Unlimited data. Smart business calling. No desk phone needed (unless you want one — we can sort that too 😉).
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