Three stories stood out in this month's phone and broadband news. The old phone network got a safety net, but not for everyone. The regulator blocked a broadband discount. And two telecoms firms are under investigation over numbers used by scammers.
Here is what each one means for your business.
Liverpool leads the switch-off, but the safety net has limits
Liverpool is ahead of the rest of the UK's ten biggest cities in leaving the old phone network behind. Figures from Openreach, which runs the UK's main phone network, show about 42,000 old lines left in the Liverpool area. In 2020 there were 667,000. London is furthest behind, with nearly 13 per cent still to move.
Nationally, around 350,000 business premises have yet to switch before the network closes on 31st January 2027. Our plain-English guide covers the basics.
On 24th September, Openreach set out what happens to lines that miss the deadline. They will move to a temporary emergency service that keeps basic calls working. Where it is technically possible, broadband on the same line will keep running too.
However, there are two catches. First, the safety net only covers single lines. ISDN and multi-line setups, the kind behind many office switchboards, are left out, as our partner Gamma's summary makes clear. Orders to move those must go in before the deadline.
Second, it is not cheap. From February, providers will pay Openreach £35 a month for the basic version, before VAT or their own charges. Meanwhile, ordinary old lines cost roughly double their 2025 price from 1st October, as our October price rise article explains.
Why the regulator blocked a broadband discount
On 28th September, the regulator Ofcom told Openreach to withdraw a discount on its full fibre lines. The offer would have paid providers for each new customer moved onto Openreach's network. That meant £35 off the connection fee and £9.50 a month off rental, for up to 30 months.
Ofcom said only a company of Openreach's size could offer such targeted cuts. Smaller rival networks might not match them and still cover their costs, it argued. That could mean fewer rivals and higher prices in the long run.
Openreach disagreed, saying the offer would have given households better value. However, Ofcom did approve a separate discount on dedicated business lines.
So what changes for you? Right now, very little. The money would have gone to providers, who could choose whether to pass it on. Still, the bigger point is choice. Depending on your street, full fibre may come from Openreach or from an altnet building across the North West and North Wales. When your contract ends, ask which networks reach your door.
A crackdown on phone numbers used by scammers
On 24th September, Ofcom opened investigations into two telecoms providers. It is concerned that phone numbers they hold were misused, including for scams. Ofcom has not reached any findings yet.
Ofcom hands out numbers in large blocks, and providers pass them on to customers. Providers must check who they are giving numbers to and watch for misuse afterwards. Ofcom's announcement calls these "know your customer" checks.
For you, that means two things. If your provider asks for company details before issuing new numbers, that is a good sign. Also remember that the number on screen can be faked. So staff should never share bank details or passwords just because a caller ID looks familiar.
Ofcom's guide to avoiding scam calls is a sensible place to start. Our own advice on how to protect your business from scam calls covers the basics too.
This month's phone and broadband news in plain English
- PSTN. The old copper phone network, closing on 31st January 2027.
- Emergency Voice Access. Openreach's temporary safety net for single lines that miss the deadline. It keeps basic calls going but costs more than a modern line.
- ISDN and multi-line. Older setups that carry several calls at once, often behind an office switchboard. The safety net does not cover them.
- Full fibre. Broadband carried by fibre optic cable all the way into your building, instead of finishing on copper.
- Altnet. Short for alternative network. A company building its own fibre network to compete with Openreach.
- Know your customer checks. The identity checks a provider runs before handing over phone numbers.
“Liverpool topping that table is good news, but a league table won't keep your phones on. The ones I'd worry about are offices with a switchboard on ISDN, because the safety net was never built for them. If that's you, give us a ring before Christmas, not after.”
Rob Mason, Technical Director, Excel Communications
Acting on this month's phone and broadband news
If you still have an old line, moving is simpler than it sounds. PhoneLine+ replaces a single landline, and you can usually keep your number. For a switchboard, Excel Connect runs your office phones over broadband instead.
Not sure what your lines run on? We will check for you and tell you straight. Get in touch or call us on 0800 711 7111.
