The FTTC and PSTN Switch-Off: What It Means for Your Business

If your business still relies on FTTC broadband or a traditional analogue/ISDN phone line, change is coming. The UK’s old copper telephone network is being retired, and Openreach is progressively withdrawing FTTC in areas where full fibre is available. Here’s what’s actually happening and what to do about it.

What’s changing

Openreach stopped taking new orders for PSTN and WLR (the traditional copper phone line) products back in September 2023. The industry-wide switch-off, migrating every remaining phone line to digital, is set for 31 January 2027, with a final deadline of 31 March 2027 for ISDN and multiline services. Openreach has confirmed there will be no further extension to this date.

Alongside this, Openreach is withdrawing FTTC as a saleable product on an exchange-by-exchange basis, once full fibre (FTTP) coverage in that area reaches a high enough threshold. Once an exchange reaches its stop-sell date, no new FTTC connections can be ordered there, and existing FTTC lines are eventually migrated or switched off.

Why this matters for your business

• Phone systems: any analogue phone line, alarm line or fax line still running over copper will need to move to a digital alternative (typically VoIP/SIP) before switch-off.
• Broadband: if your business is on FTTC broadband, you’ll eventually need to move to FTTP, which in most cases means faster, more reliable connectivity anyway.
• Other copper-reliant equipment: older alarm systems, payment terminals, lift lines and fax machines that use the phone network can be caught out if not checked in advance.

What to do now

• Check whether full fibre (FTTP) is already available at your premises
• Review anything still connected to a traditional phone line, not just your main office phones
• Plan a migration to a cloud/VoIP phone system ahead of any forced switch-off, rather than at the last minute
• Don’t wait for a letter from your current provider, start the conversation early so you’re not rushed

If you’re still weighing up what to replace FTTC with, our FTTP vs FTTC vs Leased Line guide covers how the options compare.

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