BT Switch-Off: January 2027 is the deadline

Why waiting until January puts your business at risk

“We’re waiting until January to decide.”

That’s something we’ve heard from a few businesses recently when discussing the BT legacy network switch-off.

The problem is that 31 Jan 2027 is the deadline for completing the move, not the time to start thinking about it.

What’s changing

BT’s traditional telephone network (PSTN) is being retired, meaning businesses still relying on legacy telephone lines and associated services need to move to modern digital alternatives, such as hosted VoIP telephony.

There’s no confirmed extension to the deadline, and businesses that haven’t migrated could face restricted services or loss of connectivity.

It’s about more than your phone system

There’s potentially more at stake than your phones. Traditional lines can also support payment terminals, alarm systems, CCTV, door entry systems and other equipment that’s essential to keeping your business running.

Some of this equipment will work over a digital service, some will need a setting changed and some will need replacing. The only way to know is to check each one.

The risks of leaving it until January

Leaving the decision until January creates several unnecessary risks:

• Less time to plan: identifying affected services, choosing replacements and arranging installation all take time.
• Greater risk of disruption: a rushed migration leaves less opportunity to test everything properly before switching over.
• Limited flexibility: as the deadline approaches, businesses may face additional pressure on installation and migration schedules.
• Unexpected complications: discovering that an alarm, payment terminal or other critical system depends on an old line is something you’d rather do now than in January.

Make the decision now

Our advice is simple: make the decision now, while there’s still time to plan and manage the transition properly. A good place to start:

1. List every line. Check your bills and your premises for each phone number, service and device that uses a traditional line.
2. Speak to your equipment suppliers. Ask your alarm, CCTV, door entry and payment providers whether their kit works over digital services or needs upgrading.
3. Choose your replacement. Decide on your new phone system and business connectivity, then book in installation with time to test before you switch over.

A smooth move, not a last-minute scramble

We can help you understand what’s affected, identify the right digital solution and manage the move with minimal disruption.

If you’re still weighing up your options, speak to us today.

Source: “Time for a ‘big switch-up’ as PSTN switch-off looms”, Openreach, 5 Feb 2026

Further reading

• Copper stop-sell reaches 112 exchanges
• The complete guide to business VoIP
• The next step in the UK PSTN switch-off