# UK PSTN switch-off: a practical business migration checklist Published by Britixo | 2026-10-29 | Communications Canonical page: https://britixo.com/business-guides/uk-pstn-switch-off-business-checklist/ Start with an inventory of every service using your telephone lines, then agree a migration and testing plan with the relevant providers. Changing the desk phones alone can leave alarms, lift communications or other equipment unsupported. Openreach identifies 31 January 2027 for its network transition to digital services; GOV.UK says most customers are expected to move by the end of January 2027. Confirm the dates and dependencies for your own lines. ## When this guide is useful UK businesses, landlords and operations teams with analogue telephone lines or connected equipment - An invoice still lists analogue lines or ISDN services. - A lift, alarm, payment terminal or entry system connects through a phone socket. - Nobody owns the complete list of numbers, circuits and attached devices. - The office has no documented plan for calls during a power or broadband failure. ## Find the equipment behind the line rental Ask finance for telephone bills and ask site managers to walk the premises with the equipment register. Match every billed circuit to a number, location, business owner and purpose. Record unknown lines for investigation rather than cancelling them because nobody recognises the charge. Include secondary sites, stores and unoccupied properties. Use a simple register with fields for the service account, physical termination point, attached device, maintainer, contract and proposed replacement. A line labelled reception may also serve another device. Verify that relationship with the telecoms and equipment providers; do not unplug safety-related equipment as an informal discovery test. ## Choose replacements around the actual function A hosted phone system may replace ordinary business calling, but an analogue adapter is not automatic proof that specialist equipment will work. Ask the equipment manufacturer or maintainer to confirm the supported connection, signalling and power requirements. Obtain written responsibility for any installation, compatibility assessment and acceptance testing. Separate the voice design from the connectivity design. Decide who needs desk phones, headsets, mobile access, queues or a shared receptionist number. Then check number portability, internet access and any country-specific calling limitations. Keep the original service active until the agreed migration sequence allows it to be retired. ## Plan failure behaviour before the cutover Digital calling normally depends on powered equipment and working connectivity at the premises. Identify the router, network switches, phones and specialist devices required for each critical function. Agree suitable power and connectivity resilience with the responsible specialists, based on the consequences of interruption and the support arrangements. Document the fallback that staff will actually use: a published alternative contact route, a tested diversion or an agreed local procedure. Confirm emergency calling arrangements and location information with the voice provider. Never place test calls to emergency services without following the provider's authorised test process. ## Migrate in controlled groups and prove the result Use a small representative site or group first. Schedule the move when the responsible telecoms, IT and equipment teams are available. Test inbound and outbound calls, transfers, business hours, voicemail and every specialist dependency using agreed acceptance criteria. Record who accepted each outcome and any unresolved exceptions. The end of the project is an accepted service, not an installation notification. Check subsequent bills, remove obsolete routing only after approval and update staff instructions. Keep a list of remaining lines with an owner and next action. Revisit the plan if your provider changes the migration window or proposed product. ## Prepare for a useful conversation - A line-by-line register linked to sites, devices and responsible owners. - Written compatibility advice from each specialist equipment maintainer. - Confirmed number-porting and migration sequence, including dependencies. - A documented power, connectivity and emergency-calling plan. - Signed test results and an authorised list of services ready for retirement. ## How Britixo can help Britixo can help map the business calling requirement, design an appropriate VoIP configuration and coordinate the IT elements of a phased migration. An engagement can include number and call-flow discovery, network readiness checks, device configuration, user guidance and an acceptance checklist. Specialist alarm, lift and safety equipment remains subject to the relevant maintainer's assessment and responsibilities. Bring your line inventory, site list and known deadlines to a scoping discussion so we can identify the work Britixo can deliver and the dependencies that need other providers involved. [Contact Britixo](https://britixo.com/contact/?enquiry_type=contact_consultation#contact-form) ## Common questions ### Does the switch-off mean every business needs full fibre? Digital voice and a full-fibre upgrade are related but separate decisions. Ask your provider which connectivity and voice options are supported at each location. Base the choice on availability, equipment compatibility and continuity needs rather than assuming one access product is mandatory. ### Can we keep our existing business numbers? Often a number can be transferred, but eligibility, account details, service dependencies and timing must be confirmed before the move. Do not cancel an existing line independently when a number transfer or connected service still depends on it. ### Will an analogue adapter keep an alarm working? An adapter may provide a socket without meeting the device's signalling, monitoring or resilience requirements. Obtain advice and testing from the equipment maintainer and the new service provider. Treat safety-related systems as a separate acceptance workstream. ## Related guides - [Business phone number porting: plan a reliable transfer](https://britixo.com/business-guides/business-phone-number-porting/) - [Poor VoIP call quality: diagnose jitter, packet loss and delay](https://britixo.com/business-guides/voip-call-quality-jitter-packet-loss/) - [Microsoft Teams Phone or a cloud PBX: how to choose](https://britixo.com/business-guides/microsoft-teams-phone-vs-cloud-pbx/) ## Sources and further reading - [Openreach: the big switch-off](https://www.openreach.com/big-switch-off) - [GOV.UK: transition from analogue to digital landlines](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines) Prepared with AI assistance and checked against linked primary documentation. [Editorial approach](https://britixo.com/business-guides/#editorial-approach). Product availability and delivery scope are confirmed for your requirements.