BT has announced a delay in the transition from the ageing copper landline network to its digital telephone service, Digital Voice, pushing the switch-off of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to the start of 2027. This extension aims to give telecommunications companies and users more time to prepare for digital services. Ofcom’s 2023 Connected Nations report indicates that PSTN accounts for about 41% of all landline connections. However, as the copper-based network nears the end of its lifespan and parts and expertise to service it become scarce, a move to a fibre-based VoIP service, Digital Voice, is necessary.
Initially, the PSTN was set for shutdown by the end of 2025. The decision to extend the deadline was influenced by the fact that 74% of customers are still unaware of the impending switchover. Digital Voice requires compatible handsets to be connected to the router and a separate power supply, unlike traditional landline services that are powered directly from the exchange over copper wire. This direct power feed ensures that as long as the exchange has power, users can make calls on the PSTN. However, VoIP handsets without a back-up power source will not work during power cuts, as evidenced in 2022 when major storms caused significant outages, leaving many unable to contact emergency services.
Several telecommunications companies and fibre providers have committed to a government charter, ensuring they will not proceed with migration without confirming that vulnerable customers have a working telecare device. Many telecare monitoring devices depend on landlines, an issue highlighted by the deaths of two Virgin Media customers whose alarms failed after their landlines were switched over. Although no evidence suggests the switchover was involved in their deaths, it underscores the potential risks.
The copper network supports a range of additional services, including lifts, building access systems, alarms, and security systems. Upgrading these services would be costly, potentially reaching £70 million in London alone. To keep low-power mobile devices and sensors active, many telecommunications companies are maintaining their 2G networks. However, the costs to maintain and repair the obsolete copper network are becoming unjustifiable as the number of users declines rapidly, with 950,000 fixed lines (PSTN or VoIP) lost in Q3 2023 alone.
Ofcom mandates that providers must offer a back-up solution to customers who rely on landlines, ensuring they can contact emergency services for at least one hour during power outages, and this must be provided free of charge. BT plans to offer free battery back-up units, but these typically last only one hour. Recent power cuts in Glasgow, London, and Cardiff averaged around three hours, while even the shortest outages in Nottingham and Belfast lasted one hour and 48 minutes.
BT has called on councils to share data to protect vulnerable users, but many councils are reportedly uncooperative. Howard Watson, BT’s Chief Security and Networks Officer, stressed the need for local authorities and telecare providers to share information about phone lines with telecare users.
The transition is in stark contrast to the extensive support provided during the digital TV and radio switchover in the early 2010s, which included a £200 million publicity campaign, free installation of equipment, a dedicated helpline, and 12 months of aftercare for eligible individuals. Globally, the pace of PSTN switch-off varies, with the UK lagging behind many countries but starting to catch up. France, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Japan, and Australia are also phasing out their copper networks, while Germany, the Netherlands, and Singapore have already completed the transition. Estonia, with one of the highest internet penetration rates globally, shut down its copper network in 2017.
If the UK meets its new 2027 deadline, the national phone network will be better suited to modern connectivity needs. For most customers, the switch will be seamless. However, the government’s hands-off approach, stressing that the switch-off is industry-led, has led to widespread confusion, especially among vulnerable customers who rely on landlines for emergency assistance.
In the US, T-Mobile has introduced a Home Internet Backup service, offering a 5G gateway with 130GB of data for £30 per month, providing customers with an option to stay connected during unexpected outages.
Cerillion plc (LON:CER) is a leading provider of billing, charging and customer management systems with more than 20 years’ experience delivering its solutions across a broad range of industries including the telecommunications, finance, utilities and transportation sectors.
