You may have heard about the changes to UK landline connections, but what does it actually mean for you? In simple words, your telephone service is changing. The Great British Switch Off means that the humble landline, as most of us currently know it, will soon be a thing of the past. Broadband provider Openreach plans to switch more than 14 million traditional lines onto a new digital service by December 2025 because much of the equipment used in telephone exchanges is out of date in terms of capability and is costly to run and maintain.

So, whether you’re a homeowner who likes chatting on the phone with your friends and family, or you’re a business owner who has hundreds of calls to manage daily – the 2025 Great Switch Off will impact all of us.

This is the biggest change that the telecoms and communications industry has seen in over three decades and it will happen gradually, but this doesn’t mean you can’t take action. You don’t have to wait until December 2025 to prepare for the big change.

What does the Big Switch Off mean for residential users?

All existing phone lines will be switched off, this means you must have an internet connection and an internet-compatible phone/device if you want to continue using telephone services after December 2025. Furthermore, if you already have an internet connection, you will need to upgrade to a Full Fibre package. This will allow you to use digital voice services or VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). VoIP is a technology that allows you to make calls using an Internet connection and will replace the old analogue phone lines.

December 2025 sounds a long way off, but you should know that by September 2023 all the telephone exchanges in the country will be placed into a state known as “stop-sell”.  After that date, nobody will be able to buy any “legacy” products such as ADSL Broadband, Superfast FTTC, and new phone lines. You can continue using your current equipment for at least another 2 years, but you will only be able to buy new products such as Ultrafast/Full Fibre.

What does analogue switch-off mean for my business?

There’s no doubt that businesses of all sizes need to be aware of the upcoming changes and start preparing to make the switch and future-proof their systems. Here are a few steps your business can take to avoid negative impacts or costly last-minute solutions.

Business customers have nothing to worry about because the Great Switch Off comes with substantial benefits. VoIP technology offers cheaper deals and cheaper calls and is far more reliable as long as you have a good internet connection that is configured correctly.

In addition, VoIP can easily grow with your business at a very low cost, as you can add or remove new telephone lines quickly as your requirements change. Your team will be able to connect from wherever they are using a mobile, tablet or laptop and make and receive calls just as easily as they could in the office.

Need some help to make the switch?

Whether you’re a consumer or a business, take action now. Embracing VoIP technology and using full-fibre broadband is the most cost-effective solution. All you need is a provider that can make your transition a smooth one.

At Everyday Communications, we’ll take care of installation, set-up, plus ongoing management for you. Plus you can even keep all your existing phone numbers. All you need to do is plug in your new VoIP handset (your old PSTN phone won’t work over the Internet). Easy.

We offer a range of advanced telecoms solutions to help you prepare for the analogue switch-off. These include Cloud telephony and SIP trunking, professional video conferencing and high-speed business-grade broadband. If you would like to know more, get in touch with our team!