Copper and POTS / retirement

Copper line replacement before the carrier switches it off

Carriers in the US are retiring copper phone lines, and the UK is closing its analog network on 31 January 2027. The phones are the easy part. The hard part is everything else plugged into those lines.

Replace my copper lines

Phone migration checklist

What is happening

The US and the UK, in short

United States

Carriers must give notice before retiring copper, under FCC network change rules, and for voice service to small businesses the FCC expects an adequate replacement to be available. In March 2025 the FCC announced steps to speed up copper retirement. Expect notices from your carrier rather than a single national date.

United Kingdom

Openreach is switching off the analog phone network (PSTN), with ISDN included, and the government timeline sets the end date as 31 January 2027. Ofcom notes that digital landlines do not work in a power cut without backup power, which matters for anyone who relies on a landline for emergencies.

Look beyond the phones

What is often still on a copper line

Line	What to do
Fire alarm panel	Work with your alarm company. A replacement communicator, often cellular, must meet the fire code and be accepted by the local fire authority. We coordinate; the alarm company certifies.
Security alarm	Usually moved to a cellular or IP communicator by the monitoring company. We check the network side.
Elevator emergency phone	Needs a compliant replacement agreed with the elevator contractor and building owner, with backup power.
Fax machine	Moved to fax over IP or fax-to-email, or onto an adapter tested for fax.
Card terminals and building systems that dial out	Most can move to the network. Older dial-up units may need replacing.
Gate entry and door intercoms	Moved to a cellular or SIP-based unit, or an adapter, then tested at the gate.

Replacement options

What replaces the line

Hosted voice

Ordinary phone lines move to hosted voice with the numbers ported.

Analog adapters with battery backup

Devices that still need an analog line plug into an adapter on the network, with a battery so they keep working in an outage.

Cellular line replacement

For alarms, elevators and remote equipment, a cellular unit replaces the copper line without depending on the site’s internet.

We size battery backup for anything used for emergencies. In the UK, Ofcom guidance expects providers to offer customers who rely on a landline a solution that allows emergency calls for at least one hour in a power cut.

Questions

Copper retirement questions

How do we know if our lines are being retired?

Your carrier sends notice. If you have had a letter about a network change, price increase or required upgrade on an old line, send it to us and we will explain it.

Can we wait until the carrier forces it?

You can, but planned moves are calmer. Alarm and elevator lines in particular involve other companies, and their schedules are rarely as quick as a carrier deadline.

Do you install alarm communicators?

No. Alarm companies install and certify those. We handle the phones, the network and the coordination, and make sure nothing is cancelled before its replacement is tested.

Nortel phone system support

/nortel-phone-system-support/

3CX alternatives

/3cx-alternatives/

PRI to SIP migration

/pri-to-sip-migration/