BT Group and Openreach Set January 2027 PSTN Switch-Off

The BT Group and Openreach are decommissioning the United Kingdom's Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), with a final switch-off date scheduled for January 31, 2027. The companies are urging approximately 1.5 million remaining users to migrate to digital phone services to avoid losing connectivity. The 150-year-old analogue network is increasingly difficult to maintain and more vulnerable to faults than modern digital alternatives.

While over 95% of BT Group customers have already transitioned, the company is now targeting a small minority of unresponsive users. To prompt engagement, BT Group is expanding a trial that involves temporarily pausing broadband services for customers who have ignored multiple communications over two years. This method previously prompted over 80% of trial participants to contact the company.

The transition requires users to review all hardware connected to phone lines, including alarms and door entry systems, to ensure compatibility. Digital migration is expected to provide better call quality, increased reliability, and improved blocking of unwanted calls. In coordination with Ofcom and the Government of the United Kingdom, BT Group is offering free in-home engineer visits and backup power solutions for vulnerable customers using telecare systems or health pendants under the PSTN Charter of Commitments.