Openreach has just confirmed what many providers have been saying for months: the PSTN switch off deadline is fixed, and it is now only six months away. According to Openreach's own figures, around 1.5 million lines in the UK are still running on legacy copper, and roughly 350,000 of those belong to businesses. For a network that closes completely on 31 January 2027, that is a lot of firms leaving things very late.
The PSTN switch off deadline will not move again
James Lilley, Openreach's Director of All-IP, put it plainly this week: there is no extension coming. The date has already slipped twice since it was first announced, so the industry has heard "final warning" before. This time, though, the technical barriers that caused the earlier delays, mainly protections for vulnerable and telecare customers, have been resolved. As a result, Openreach's Big Switch Off campaign is now aimed squarely at the providers and businesses who have not yet moved.
Copper is about to get a lot more expensive
Even before the network closes, staying on it is becoming a costly decision. Openreach has raised Wholesale Line Rental prices three times in 2026: 20 percent in April, a further 40 percent in July and another 40 percent due in October. Together, those increases roughly double the cost of a copper line compared with last year. In other words, businesses that delay are paying more for a service that is being withdrawn anyway.
What counts as at risk
PSTN lines carry more than phone calls. Payment terminals, lift alarms, door entry systems and fire panels often run over the same copper network, frequently without anyone in the building realising it. Once the switch off happens, any of this equipment that has not been upgraded could simply stop working. Ofcom has set out clear rules to protect vulnerable customers during migration, but identifying and testing affected equipment is still down to the business, not the regulator.
Three steps to take before January 2027
Openreach recommends a simple approach: review, test, switch. First, audit every line and device connected to the copper network, including anything outside standard IT equipment. Then test replacement options before committing, since not every alarm or terminal behaves the same way over an IP connection. Finally, book the migration early. Engineering slots will only get harder to secure as the PSTN switch off deadline approaches, and firms that wait until late 2026 risk being pushed to the back of the queue.
Get help before the deadline arrives
At Excel Communications, we have been migrating Merseyside, North Wales and London businesses onto hosted VoIP for years, so we know exactly what a smooth switch looks like. Our Excel Connect platform replaces legacy lines with a cloud system built for reliability, without the price hikes attached to copper. If you are still unsure what is running on your PSTN lines, get in touch with our team and we will help you find out before Openreach does it for you.
