31 January Is Less Than 90 Days Away: What Small Businesses Need To Do Now To Be Ready For The Landline Switch-Off

By Emma Lewis, bOnline

The UK’s traditional landline network is being switched off on 31 January 2027, and thousands of small businesses could be caught out if they haven’t checked their phone systems and connected equipment.

For many business owners, the landline is something they rarely think about. It is simply there, taking customer calls, handling bookings and keeping the business connected. But that familiar phone socket is becoming a thing of the past, and the move to digital could have wider consequences than many people realise.

Openreach has warned that around 300,000 business premises are still using copper-based telephone lines. With the deadline approaching, businesses need to start thinking about what the change means for them.

What Is Happening To UK Landlines?

The traditional telephone network, known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), is being retired and replaced with digital technology.

Rather than making calls through old copper telephone lines, businesses will move to services such as Digital Voice or VoIP, which use an internet connection to make and receive calls.

For some companies, the change will be fairly simple. Their provider may be able to move their existing phone service across without much disruption, and in most cases they should be able to keep their current number. However, it isn’t quite as straightforward for everyone. Businesses with older telephone systems or equipment connected to their landlines may need to make additional changes.

Your Phone Isn’t The Only Thing At Risk

One of the biggest things business owners need to understand is that the switch-off could affect more than their office telephone.

Think about how many systems in your business might still use a traditional phone connection. Card payment machines, security alarms, fire alarms, CCTV, door entry systems and even emergency lift phones can all be affected.

A small retailer, for example, could find that an older card machine no longer works properly after its telephone service changes. An office might discover that its alarm system needs replacing or adapting.

The difficulty is that these systems are often forgotten about once they have been installed. If you don’t know whether something relies on your landline, now is the time to check it out.

What Happens If You Don’t Make The Switch?

The traditional network is due to be retired on 31 January 2027, so businesses that have not moved across will lose their existing service.

Openreach has outlined a temporary service called Emergency Voice Access (EVAc), which is intended to keep basic voice calling available for certain remaining connections. However, it has limited functionality and isn’t a long-term replacement for a proper digital phone service.

For a business that depends on incoming calls, bookings or telephone-based equipment, relying on last-minute arrangements could cause real problems.

How Can Small Businesses Prepare For The Landline Switch-Off?

Start by contacting your telephone or broadband provider. Ask when your business will be moved to a digital service, what the change involves and whether you need new equipment.

It’s also worth checking with anyone responsible for your alarms, payment machines and other connected systems. Your telephone provider won’t necessarily know everything plugged into your existing phone line, so don’t assume those devices will automatically be taken care of.

Another thing to think about is what happens if your broadband or electricity supply fails. Digital phones generally need both to work, so businesses that depend on being contactable should ask about battery backup and alternative ways of receiving calls.

For some companies, this could also be a good opportunity to look at newer phone systems that allow staff to answer calls from their mobiles or work remotely without giving customers a different number.

Don’t Leave The Digital Switchover Until January

The landline switch-off might seem like something your phone provider will take care of, but businesses also need to check their own equipment and make sure everything will continue to work.

The last thing you want is to find out that your phones, card machines or alarms have stopped working when you’re trying to run your business. The best thing to do is speak to your provider, check which equipment could be affected and find out whether anything needs replacing.

If you’ve had the same landline for years, changing it might not feel urgent. But with the January 2027 deadline getting closer, leaving it too late could cause unnecessary problems and expense.

It’s worth getting it sorted now rather than waiting for the inevitable last-minute rush.