UK Landline Switch-Off 2027: Will Your Phone Work in a Power Cut?

The UK landline switch-off 2027 will change how millions of household telephone calls are delivered. By 31 January 2027, most landline calls will use digital technology rather than the ageing analogue telephone network.

For many households, the change may appear straightforward. Your telephone number can remain the same, your existing handset may still be usable and calls should continue much as before.

However, there is one important difference: a digital landline normally needs electricity inside your home to work. If a power cut switches off your broadband router, fibre connection box or telephone adapter, your landline may stop working too.

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What is the UK landline switch-off 2027?

The UK landline switch-off 2027 involves retiring the ageing Public Switched Telephone Network, normally shortened to PSTN.

This is the traditional analogue network that has carried landline telephone calls for decades. It is now beyond its intended lifespan, increasingly difficult to maintain and reliant on older equipment that is becoming harder to replace.

Most landline services will instead use digital, internet-based technology. Depending on your telephone provider, this may be described as:

• ☎️ Digital Voice
• 🌐 Internet Voice
• 📡 Voice over Internet Protocol
• 🔌 VoIP telephone service

Rather than plugging directly into a traditional telephone wall socket, your handset may connect to a broadband router or a separate digital adapter.

Landline telephone services are therefore not disappearing completely. What is changing is the technology used to carry the calls.

☎️ VoltReady view: the greatest practical change is not how a digital landline looks or sounds. It is the fact that equipment inside your home must normally remain powered for the service to work.

When will traditional UK landlines be switched off?

Openreach states that the existing analogue telephone network is due to be retired by 31 January 2027.

Telephone providers are already moving customers onto replacement digital services. Some customers will be migrated well before the final deadline, so it is important not to assume that nothing will change until 2027.

Your provider should contact you before changing your service and explain:

• 📅 When the migration will take place
• 🔌 Where your telephone will need to be connected
• ☎️ Whether your current handset can still be used
• ⚡ What happens during a power cut
• 🛡️ What additional support is available

Do not ignore migration letters, emails or telephone calls from your provider. These communications may contain important instructions about new equipment or changes inside your home.

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Why can a digital landline stop working during a power cut?

A basic corded telephone connected to a traditional analogue line could often continue operating when the electricity supply to a home failed.

This was possible because a small amount of power was supplied through the telephone line itself.

A digital telephone service works differently. It normally relies on equipment powered through your home electricity supply.

During a power cut, this may include:

• ⚡ Your broadband router
• 📡 Your fibre ONT or connection box
• ☎️ Your Digital Voice adapter
• 🔌 Your cordless telephone base station
• 🌐 Additional networking equipment

If this equipment switches off, your home telephone may stop working even when the wider telephone or broadband network remains operational.

This creates a particular concern for households where mobile reception is weak, unreliable or unavailable.

How much power-cut backup must telephone providers offer?

Ofcom requires providers to have at least one solution that allows customers who depend on their landline to contact the emergency services during a power cut.

The minimum power-resilience period required by Ofcom is one hour.

Where a customer relies on the landline to contact emergency services, an appropriate solution must be provided free of charge.

Depending on the provider and household, this could include:

• 🔋 A battery backup unit
• 📱 A mobile-based emergency solution
• ☎️ A hybrid telephone using both fixed and mobile networks
• 🛡️ Additional support for a vulnerable customer

One hour may provide useful protection during a brief interruption. It may be far less reassuring during a prolonged winter outage, storm-related fault or rural power cut.

Some providers may offer longer-lasting solutions, but the equipment and eligibility criteria vary. Contact your own provider rather than assuming that every company supplies the same backup.

🔋 One-hour backup is a minimum safety provision. It should not automatically be treated as a complete household power-cut plan.

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Who is most affected by the digital landline change?

Most customers may experience little disruption once their new equipment is installed correctly.

The risks are greater for households that depend more heavily on a landline or have limited alternatives.

This may include:

• 👴 Older people who mainly use a landline
• 🏠 People living alone
• 📶 Rural households with poor mobile reception
• 🩺 People using personal alarms or telecare equipment
• ♿ Customers with accessibility requirements
• 💷 People who do not currently have broadband
• 🌧️ Homes in locations vulnerable to storm-related outages

Providers cannot offer the right support unless they know that it is required.

Tell your telephone provider if you or someone in the household:

• ✅ Relies on the landline during an emergency
• ✅ Has poor or no mobile reception
• ✅ Uses a personal alarm or telecare service
• ✅ Has a disability or health-related communication need
• ✅ Would struggle to install or test new equipment

What does the switch-off mean for telecare devices?

The landline migration is especially important for anyone using equipment connected to a traditional telephone socket.

This may include:

• 🆘 Personal alarm pendants
• 🚨 Fall detectors
• 🏠 Telecare monitoring systems
• ☎️ Emergency call buttons
• 🩺 Medical alert equipment
• 🔐 Some older security and alarm systems

The UK Government has previously estimated that approximately 1.8 million people use telecare services.

Some older devices were designed specifically for analogue telephone lines. They may need to be tested, reconfigured, updated or replaced before the telephone service is moved to a digital network.

Ofcom fined Virgin Media £23.8 million in December 2025 after finding that telecare customers had been disconnected during its digital migration programme, potentially leaving vulnerable people without working alarm services.

What if you have a landline but no broadband?

Customers who currently have a telephone line but no broadband should not simply be left without a telephone service.

Some providers are offering an interim dedicated landline service for customers who do not currently use broadband.

This is intended to let landline-only customers continue using a telephone in a similar way while a permanent digital solution is arranged.

Government guidance states that an interim service may remain available until a suitable replacement is introduced, or until 2030 at the latest.

Landline-only customers should ask their provider:

• ☎️ Whether their existing telephone can still be used
• 🔌 Whether additional equipment will be installed
• ⚡ What happens during a power cut
• 🌐 Whether a broadband package is required
• 🛡️ What support is available for vulnerable customers
• 💷 Whether the change will affect the monthly cost

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Can a portable power station keep a digital landline working?

A portable power station can help keep the essential equipment inside your home powered when the mains electricity supply fails.

Depending on your telephone and broadband setup, this could include:

• 🔋 Your broadband router
• 📡 Your fibre ONT or modem
• ☎️ Your Digital Voice adapter
• 🔌 A cordless telephone base
• 📱 Mobile phones and tablets
• 💡 LED lighting
• 💻 A laptop or suitable small television

Communication equipment normally consumes much less electricity than high-powered appliances such as kettles, heaters, ovens or washing machines.

This means even a compact portable power station may provide several hours of useful backup for a router, telephone equipment, lighting and mobile charging.

🏠 VoltReady view: for many households, the most practical objective is not powering the entire home. It is keeping communication, lighting and essential low-power devices available until the mains supply returns.

How long could a portable power station run a broadband router?

Runtime depends on the combined power consumption of your router, fibre connection box, telephone adapter and any other connected equipment.

As an illustration, a complete communication setup might consume approximately 20 to 30 watts.

Allowing for normal power-conversion losses, estimated runtimes could look approximately like this:

These figures are planning estimates rather than guaranteed runtimes.

Actual performance depends on:

• ⚡ The real power consumption of your equipment
• 🔌 Whether AC, USB or DC output is used
• 🔋 The starting battery level
• 🌡️ Temperature and operating conditions
• 🔄 Power-conversion losses
• 📱 Any additional devices connected at the same time

Check the power labels on your equipment and use the VoltReady Power Calculator before selecting a model.

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What size portable power station should you consider?

The right size depends on what you want to keep operating and how long you want to remain prepared.

Compact communication backup

A compact portable power station may be suitable when your priorities are limited to:

• 📶 Broadband equipment
• ☎️ Digital telephone equipment
• 📱 Mobile phone charging
• 💡 Emergency LED lighting
• 💻 Occasional laptop charging

Models such as the BLUETTI AC2P and BLUETTI EB3A are compact enough to store easily while providing useful power for suitable low-wattage essentials.

The AC2P is the lighter option. The EB3A provides greater continuous AC output and slightly more battery capacity, making it the more flexible compact choice when several suitable devices may need to run together.

Broader home-essential backup

A medium-capacity portable power station offers more flexibility when you also want to support:

• 💡 Several lights
• 💻 Laptops and home-office equipment
• 📺 A suitable television or radio
• 🔌 Several low-powered devices
• 🏠 Selected household essentials

This may be the better category for households preparing for longer winter outages rather than only brief interruptions.

Use the Power Calculator to confirm the combined wattage and estimated runtime before ordering. Do not choose a power station based only on the number of sockets or its headline output.

Longer and expandable home backup

A larger or expandable system may be more suitable when you want significantly longer runtime or support for a wider range of appliances.

The BLUETTI AC300 is an expandable inverter module intended for higher-capacity backup requirements.

What else should be included in your communication plan?

Portable backup power is useful, but no single communication method should be treated as completely fail-safe.

A sensible household plan may include:

• 📱 At least one charged mobile phone
• 🔋 A portable power station or suitable battery backup
• ☎️ A provider-approved digital landline solution
• 📶 Knowledge of where mobile reception is strongest
• 📻 A battery-powered or rechargeable radio
• 📝 Important telephone numbers written down
• 🏠 A nearby family member, neighbour or support contact
• 🆘 A tested and compatible telecare device where required

Mobile networks can also be disrupted during severe weather or extended power cuts. Keeping more than one communication option available provides greater resilience.

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How to prepare for the UK landline switch-off 2027

Do not wait until a power cut to discover that your telephone equipment is not protected.

Before your service is changed:

• ✅ Ask your provider when the migration will happen
• ✅ Tell them if you depend on your landline during emergencies
• ✅ Explain if mobile reception at your home is poor
• ✅ Ask what free power-cut support is available
• ✅ Check every personal alarm and telecare device
• ✅ Identify which equipment needs mains electricity
• ✅ Write down the wattage of your router and connection equipment
• ✅ Keep mobile phones charged
• ✅ Test your backup setup before a real outage
• ✅ Store your portable power station charged and accessible

Once the digital service is installed, carry out a basic test while another working communication method is available.

Confirm that the telephone works when connected normally and understand which equipment would need backup power during an outage.

Can a portable power station be used for medical equipment?

Some households may also be considering backup power for medical or care-related equipment.

Medical devices can have specific power, safety, continuity and alarm requirements. A general portable power station should not automatically be treated as an approved uninterruptible medical power supply.

Before connecting medical equipment:

• 🩺 Speak to the equipment supplier
• 📖 Check the manufacturer documentation
• ⚡ Confirm normal and start-up power requirements
• 🔌 Confirm the required output type and voltage
• 👩‍⚕️ Seek appropriate professional advice
• 🛡️ Maintain the recommended emergency plan

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UK landline switch-off 2027 FAQs

Are UK landlines being completely removed?

Landline telephone services are not disappearing completely. The ageing analogue PSTN network is being retired and most calls will instead be carried using digital technology.

When is the UK landline switch-off?

Openreach plans to retire the existing analogue telephone network by 31 January 2027. Individual telephone providers may move customers before that date.

Will my telephone number change?

Moving to a digital telephone service does not normally require a new telephone number. Confirm the details with your provider before migration.

Will my existing telephone handset still work?

Many existing handsets can be connected to a compatible router or digital adapter. Some older equipment may need replacing. Your provider should explain what is required.

Will a digital landline work during a power cut?

Not normally unless the broadband router, fibre connection equipment and telephone adapter continue receiving power. Your provider may offer a battery or mobile-based backup solution if you depend on the landline.

How long must provider backup last?

Ofcom requires providers to have at least one solution that offers a minimum of one hour of emergency-call access during a power cut for customers who depend on their landline.

Is provider battery backup free?

An appropriate solution must be supplied free of charge where a customer relies on their landline to contact the emergency services. Contact your provider to explain your circumstances.

Can a portable power station run a broadband router?

Yes, provided the combined equipment remains within the power station’s output rating and is connected in accordance with the manufacturer guidance. The external broadband network must also remain operational.

How long can a portable power station run a router?

Runtime depends on the router, fibre equipment, telephone adapter and power-station capacity. A compact setup drawing 20 to 30 watts may run for several hours from a relatively small portable power station.

Will my personal alarm work after the digital switchover?

It may, but it must be checked. Contact both your telephone provider and the alarm or telecare provider before migration. Do not assume that an analogue device is automatically compatible.

Do I need broadband to keep a landline?

Not necessarily. Some providers offer an interim dedicated telephone service for landline-only customers. Ask your provider what is available at your address.

Will a portable power station guarantee my landline works?

No. It can power the equipment inside your home, but it cannot prevent faults or outages affecting the external telephone or broadband network.

What is the best portable power station for digital landline backup?

The right model depends on the combined wattage of your router and telephone equipment, the required runtime and whether you also want to power lights, phones, laptops or other essentials. Use the VoltReady Power Calculator before choosing.

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Information in this guide was checked against current guidance from the UK Government , Ofcom and Openreach .