Landline Switch-Off: Will Your Business Number Still Work?

The landline switch-off is the retirement of the UK's old copper phone network, which Openreach says goes digital on 31 January 2027. Traditional landlines run on that network, called the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). It's decades old and getting harder to keep running. GOV.UK says it is "failing due to lack of parts" and that suppliers no longer make spare parts.

Calls are moving to digital lines that run over a broadband connection. Instead of plugging your phone into the wall socket, you'll usually plug it into your router.

The key dates and facts:

• 31 January 2027. Openreach and BT Business both give this date for the switch-off. Ofcom says BT plans to retire its old network "by 31 January 2027".
• Switch-off locations: there's one national date, not area by area. Openreach gives 31 January 2027 for its whole network. Check with your provider when your own line moves.
• Other networks are later. Ofcom says Virgin Media O2 and KCOM also plan to retire their old networks, but "dates for switching those have not yet been set".
• Most lines have already moved. GOV.UK says over two thirds of UK landlines have already been upgraded.
• ISDN goes too. BT Business says older ISDN business lines are being retired alongside the PSTN.

Yes, if your line is moved to a digital service in time. Ofcom says "for most customers, the change should be straightforward with no effect on your service" and that you "should continue to make and receive calls in much the same way."

Plenty of small businesses find the process confusing. One UK office manager wrote on Reddit that "no-one seems to be able (or willing) to explain in simple terms what is required for us to switch to this new system on a like for like basis". Your provider should explain it, and you're entitled to ask until it's clear.

What can go wrong is leaving it late. Openreach warns that if you haven't switched by the deadline "your service may be limited", and you may be put on a temporary, voice-only emergency service that "may not support the calling features you use today". Ofcom adds that you "might risk losing service" if you don't respond to your provider.

GOV.UK says providers are "advising all business customers to migrate at the earliest opportunity".

Three things to check now:

1. 1Has your provider been in touch? Ofcom says to respond if they contact you. Don't confuse it with marketing.
2. 2What else uses your phone line? Card machines, alarms, door entry, lift phones and CCTV can all be affected, according to Openreach and GOV.UK. Ask the supplier of each one.
3. 3Power cuts. Digital lines need mains power. Ofcom says they "will not work in a power cut unless there is a battery back-up". Ofcom says providers must offer a free back-up to people who rely on their landline and have no working mobile or signal. Otherwise, keep a charged mobile as your fallback.

Yes. Ofcom says plainly: "You can keep your phone number" when your landline goes digital.

If you use the switch-off to change provider, you can take your number with you. Moving it is called porting. Ask your new provider to do it when you sign up. For home landlines, Ofcom says you can still ask to keep your number for free "as long as you ask within one month of cancelling". Business contracts can have different terms, so check before you cancel anything.

Your number is how existing customers, your van, your Google listing and your website point to you. One Reddit user, worried about a provider holding on to his dad's business number, put it simply: "He has no choice either, as the number is displayed on his website, in the Yellow Pages, on letterheads, etc." Keeping it is usually the right call. If you're thinking of moving it to a virtual landline, our guide to virtual landlines in the UK compares providers, prices and porting fees.

Many small businesses use both: a landline-style number customers recognise, ringing on a mobile or app. After the switch-off, every "landline" is really an internet line. So the choice is less about the box on the wall and more about the number customers see and where the call rings.

• A landline-style number (01, 02). A UK geographic number has an area code, like 0161 for Manchester or 020 for London, followed by the local number. It looks local and settled, and some customers trust it more. On a digital line it can ring on a desk phone, an app or your mobile.
• A mobile number (07). Simple and always on you. Some customers expect it from a tradesperson. Others, especially older callers, may be wary of ringing a mobile.
• A landline number for your mobile. Also called a virtual landline. Customers ring an 01 or 02 number, and it rings on your mobile or in an app. It's a common middle ground for small businesses. See how virtual landlines work.

So should a small business use a mobile or a landline? Many use both: a landline-style number on the website and van, ringing on whatever phone is in your pocket. The switch-off is a good moment to set that up, because you're touching your phone service anyway.

What is WhatsApp Business?

It's a separate WhatsApp app made for small businesses, with a business profile, automatic away messages and quick replies.

Is WhatsApp Business free?

The app is. WhatsApp's help centre calls it "a free-to-download app for small businesses", and its App Store listing says it's "free to download and use, with a mix of free and paid features". The separate WhatsApp Business Platform, which bigger firms and software tools connect to, charges per message.

WhatsApp works well for customers who like to message, and plenty of business owners already point callers towards it.

Where it falls down is the customer who rings. A landline can't receive a WhatsApp message or a text. And someone who chose to ring, often with something urgent, wants to talk to someone, not be told to type.

How do customers prefer to contact businesses?

It depends on the customer and the job. Some message first. Many still phone, especially older customers and anyone who needs help today. The safe plan is to make every route work, calls included.