Are speech/phone lines being phased out or not ?

MouldyOldDough

This is a very important question - my internet contract is due for renewal in 3 months and what ISP I pick depends very much on this question…..

But I thought that it was just the copper that was not being replaced and existing lines would remain for several years ?

Some people need analogue lines for medical devices - have they satisfied their needs yet ?

I just need a reliable way of communicating with the rest of the world, mobiles often do not connect reliably where I live. I am disabled but don't use any technology that relies on analogue apart from my brain !

According to Plusnet and many others - "The technology that powers landline telephones in the UK will be phased out by Openreach from 2023 and will be completely switched off in 2027. With the increased use of mobile phone devices and internet video calling, traditional phone line usage is in decline.

At the same time, Openreach are investing in new broadband systems and connections using the latest fibre optic technology, which doesn’t need an old copper-wire landline network.

Changes to phone line and broadband technology will affect all broadband providers, not just Plusnet.

With Full Fibre, you don’t need a phone line to set up your connection, so your broadband’s ready for the future. And you won’t need to pay for a landline phone service you don’t use."

Exodi

Sorry I'm not sure how clued up you are, so forgive me for oversimplying anything, but you are able to plug a phone into the back of your modem-router (the big wifi box that your internet service provider sends you).

Using the Sky Max Hub router as an example (as that's who I've just switched to) you will see a port for the phone line:

Better to try use the prevailing technology than rely on the old one IMO.

dnpark38

I have Sky on my full fibre on Open Reach and my old phone is plugged into the Sky router and it works.

When I use the BB comparison sites I do note many providers say BB only.

flaneurs_lobster

Tell us what your current set-up is.

FTTP? FTTC?

Supplier?

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6678956/are-speech-phone-lines-being-phased-out-or-not

PTSN is being turned off on 31/1/27, some vendors use a fully unbundled setup so in principle they could continue to offer a traditional telephone lines even after PTSN is switched off but many are actively migrating people off it and onto Digital Voice/ VOIP anyway.

Not aware of any medical device that is only available in analogue landline form, most have been updated to go via internet, mobile or both. For those with critical equipment I believe some are offering battery backup for routers etc so communication isnt lost in the case of a domestic blackout… a wider regional blackout would still cause problems though

elsien

Plusnet have made a decision not to offer any further landline services.

They are directing people who wish to keep a landline to EE instead. But EE are not offering the traditional landline they are offering the digital VoIP service.

As well as the technical changes, the timescales are also a provider business decision.

iniltous

No one is offering PSTN telephony, if you want to keep telephony but dont want to connect your phone to the router for some reason, TT are sill offering a phone the uses the socket on wall rather than the socket on the broadband router , if that is so important to you then contact them , TT are not affected by the PSTN switch off as their telephone is delivered via their MSANs in the local exchange not the PSTN network, but it’s not known how long they will continue…it may be a short term solution. .

You seem to mis understand what been switched off , it’s the PSTN telephone network (the switching equipment in the exchange building ) copper pairs are not being switched off ,they will remain for many after Jan 2027 , if the safety blanket of a battery back up for your router to keep IP telephony going isn’t enough , this is really your only option.

spenderdave

My sister in law gets her broadband and phone through Utility Warehouse which I understand uses Talk Talk. She has had no communication about the PSTN phone service closing and your explanation iniltous probably explains this. So it seems no change at TalkTalk at the moment?

Exodi

MouldyOldDough

I just need a reliable way of communicating with the rest of the world, mobiles often do not connect reliably where I live.

Aside from the excellent points everyone has already made - as it sounds like you have awful telephone reception in your house like I do, you can enable wifi-calling on most phones nowadays, that make the call over your broadband, rather than relying on your phone signal.

If you're happy and able to use a mobile, and it doesn't belong in a museum and supports wifi-calling, I personally wouldn't bother with a landline phone at all.

MouldyOldDough

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82094172#Comment_82094172

FTTC TalkTalk

MouldyOldDough

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82095040#Comment_82095040

We have other issues such as a LUDDITE wife who doesn't want to lose "her phone", her elderly parents (and others) who will not call a mobile from their landline (due to cost & the fact that I have never phoned from a mobile in 30 years of using them….. Its not a simple issue….