05.01.2024

PSTN lines discontinued - Prepare for The Big Switch-off

As of 5 September 2023, BT Openreach initiated a national stop-sell of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN – meaning analogue telephone lines), which was a significant milestone in the transition to newer technologies. This marked the beginning of the phase-out process, with the full PSTN switch-off scheduled for January 2027.

What does that mean for you and your business?

This will depend on how you use Analogue/PSTN lines and the services that are overlayed on them such as ADSL and FTTC internet connections.

Internet (ADSL, FTTC) There is a clear and easy migration path from legacy products to their replacements: SOGEA, SOGFast, and FTTP and these often come with a free of charge migration path. We are unsure how long they will be offering this going forward. Contact your account manager or the support team to see what options are available for you.

Telephone Voice Services In January 2027, PSTN, ISDN2, and ISDN30 will all be phased out. This does not affect our twiinvoice platform or other VOIP based phone products, but if you have a traditional phone system, now might be a good time to start checking for alternatives; we recommend twiinvoice. However, some customer requirements are not suitable for this product. For example, critical services like Redcare, lift emergency lines, and fire/burglar alarms. In these circumstances, we would recommend contacting the installer/maintainer for their current recommendations.

If you are unsure, do not hesitate to reach out to the team to discuss your situation and we will see what we can do to assist.