UK analogue phone network set to switch off in January 2027

A new BroadbandSwitch.uk report maps the final year before the UK’s analogue telephone network shuts down on 31 January 2027, with homes facing a managed transition and businesses on old ISDN lines facing a hard stop. The report says millions have already migrated, but urgent action is still needed for telecare users and any business that has not moved to digital services.

Why it matters: - The UK’s long-running move from analogue voice lines to digital services reaches its endgame on 31 January 2027. - Homes should see a managed transition, but businesses on older ISDN services face an outright shutdown with no fallback. - Around 1.8 million people who rely on home telecare alarms remain a major focus of the migration effort.

What happened: - BroadbandSwitch.uk published a free report, "The Last Dial Tone," on 22 June 2026. - The report says the UK’s old analogue telephone network will switch off for good on 31 January 2027. - Openreach data cited in the report shows around 1.9 million lines still need to migrate across all providers as of 11 June 2026. - Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith, founder of BroadbandSwitch.uk, said the report is meant to give homes and businesses simple steps for a smooth move.

The details: - The report says the country started with more than 16 million lines on the old network. - Most lines have already moved to modern digital services. - For homes, the report says there will be no overnight cut-off on 31 January 2027. - The report says protections are in place for vulnerable customers and telecare users. - Households are advised to contact their phone or broadband provider, confirm the switchover, and flag any alarm or care device. - Openreach has confirmed that wholesale copper line prices will double by October 2026. - Older ISDN2 and ISDN30 lines will cease outright on 1 February 2027, with no fallback. - Openreach warned in February 2026 that more than half a million business lines had not yet switched. - BroadbandSwitch.uk is offering free guidance to UK businesses that are unsure whether they are affected. - The guidance applies to businesses on the main UK network and not to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or customers of KCOM. - The report draws on data from Ofcom, Openreach, the House of Commons Library, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Which?, and independent industry analysis from ISPreview. - In December 2025, Ofcom fined Virgin Media O2 £23.8m for failures that put vulnerable telecare customers at risk. - The regulator has set out expectations for providers to migrate customers safely. - The full report is free to read at the report page, and the complete PDF can also be downloaded.

Between the lines: - The switch-off is now less about whether the migration will happen and more about who still needs help getting across safely. - The report frames the risk differently for households and businesses: homes get protections and a phased handover, while legacy business lines face a firm deadline. - The pricing shift on copper lines adds another reason for customers to move before the final cutoff. - The Ofcom fine underscores that the transition is still a consumer-protection issue, not just a technical upgrade.

What's next: - Households with alarms, care devices, or other vulnerable-user needs are expected to confirm their migration plans with providers before the deadline. - Businesses still on ISDN services need to complete a switch before 1 February 2027 or lose service. - BroadbandSwitch.uk says it will continue offering free guidance and publishing evidence-based reports on UK connectivity.

The bottom line: - The UK’s analogue phone era is ending on a fixed date, and the remaining risk is concentrated in vulnerable homes and legacy business lines that have not yet moved.