Are you ready for the switch off? Only 12 months to go

It feels like we’ve been talking about it for years, but in January we’ll be just 12 months away from the copper telephone network switch off.

Originally slated to happen this December (time flies), Openreach extended the switch off date to give more time for vulnerable users and others who really rely on their copper connections.

But now it’s nearly here and, as things stand, it’s still going to take a lot of people by surprise. So as we stand on the verge of the biggest change in the UK telephone network since the telegraph was switched off, here are some key questions that you might still need the answer to.

What is the switch off (and what’s being switched off anyway)?

Ok, first things first. The UK’s copper telephone network has carried our voice calls for more than a hundred years. No wonder it’s due for an upgrade.

It’s made up of copper cables that connect homes and businesses to telephone exchanges across the country. The official name for this network is the Public Switched Telephone Network (or PSTN for short), and it’s this network that’s being put to rest.

But the thing is, the PSTN carries more than just telephone calls. It’s been the backbone of the broadband internet network, ever since it emerged from those dial-up days of old.

And that means, as the PSTN is switched off, the internet will be too – that’s not good!

So what’s going to happen to my internet?

You’re in luck. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ve already been migrated to a future-proof service. But if you haven’t, we’ll be in touch with customers soon to get them transferred.

If you decide to ignore all warnings to move away from your old copper broadband connection, one day soon you’ll suddenly find that you’re not connected.

But replacement services already exist:

• Full fibre (FTTP): The showpiece broadband service for the next generation. Full fibre is (a lot) faster, more reliable, and uses high-capacity fibre optic cables all the way from the exchange to your home or office. If you’re in a full fibre area, this is going to be the only type of broadband available to you. Which is a good thing, because it’s better at everything.
• SoGEA (or Single Order Generic Ethernet Access): As things stand, full fibre isn’t available everywhere (although it’s appearing in more and more locations every day). In the meantime, areas that can’t get full fibre will have access to SoGEA instead. And much like the Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) connections it’s replacing, SoGEA uses existing copper cables (they’ll still be there) to connect homes and offices to local street cabinets (that then connect to the exchange using fibre).
• SoTAP (Single Order Transitional Access Product): A very small number of postcodes will be unable to get full fibre or SoGEA, which is potentially very bad for them. Thankfully, a transition service has been set up to keep those locations connected using slower all-copper broadband connections that make use of the pre-existing copper network – no need to panic.

And that’s about it. There’s a replacement service for your old copper-based connection. And most of the time, it’ll be a lot better.

But what about my phone?

Good question. You’d think if all that copper’s still there, that the old telephone network will continue to work. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

When you move to a modern broadband service like FTTP, SoGEA, or even SoTAP, it’s an internet-only connection. That means no voice.

So what are you supposed to do then?

Well, thankfully, there’s already a solution for that too. Digital Voice is the modern alternative to traditional telephone services. From a user point of view, you should notice very little difference between the two. Technically, it’s very different, converting voice calls to bits and bytes and sending them via the internet. But for the telephone call at either end of the connection – that’s just crystal clear and better than ever.

If you’re moving to a modern broadband connection, you’ll have the chance to bring your voice service (and your existing number) along with you.

A word of caution though. Unlike old phone services, if you ever experience a power or broadband outage, your Digital Voice service will stop working too. In case you ever need emergency access, we recommend keeping a charged mobile phone handy.

Are you ready for the switch off?

It’s coming in January 2027, whether we like it or not.

But there’s no need to be concerned. Ensuring you’re on a future-proof connection like full fibre or SoGEA and modern Digital Voice (if you need it) now means the switch off date will pass you by just like any other.

But if you’re not yet prepared, now’s the time to start. Get in touch if you need any assistance.