The UK\'s copper telephone network has served us for over a century. But by December 2027 it will be switched off entirely — every home and business phone line will run over the internet instead. This is happening because the copper infrastructure is ageing, expensive to maintain, and no longer fit for purpose. BT Openreach is leading the transition, and your provider is obligated to move you across.
For most people the change is less dramatic than it sounds. Your phone number stays the same. Your handset experience stays familiar. The main difference is that calls travel over your broadband connection rather than through a copper wire in the ground. If you have decent broadband — and most UK homes do — you will not notice any difference in quality.
What do I actually need to do?
The simplest thing is to choose a VoIP provider before your current provider moves you automatically. Taking control means you pick your plan, keep your number, and avoid being placed on a default migration that may not suit you. With Virtual Voice you can sign up, port your existing number across, and be making calls within a few days — your old line keeps working right up to the moment the port completes.
If you use a telecare alarm, door entry system or a broadband router that uses the phone socket for backup power, check with those suppliers separately. Most modern devices are already digital-ready, but it is worth confirming before the switch date.
