Landline Switch-Off: Are you prepared?

With less than a year until the UK’s analogue landline network is permanently switched off, new research suggests the people who rely on it most still don’t know it’s happening.

A new survey commissioned by Phonely has found that 58.7% of UK adults aged over 50 are unaware of the upcoming PSTN switch-off, raising fresh concerns that millions could be caught off guard as the 31 January 2027 deadline approaches.

The findings are striking, but perhaps more worrying is this: two years ago, the numbers looked almost the same.

Two Years of Warnings, Little Change

In 2024, Phonely carried out a similar survey when the original 2025 switch-off deadline was still in place. At that time, over half of over-50s admitted they didn’t know traditional landlines were being retired.

Fast forward to January 2026, and awareness has barely shifted.

In the latest poll of 4,298 UK adults aged 50+, respondents were asked:

“Are you making plans to switch over to VoIP ahead of the big landline switch-off?”

The responses:

• 58.7% did not know about the switch-off
• 14.8% will delay switching until forced
• 4.8% say it sounds too complicated
• Only 21.6% have already switched

Despite national media coverage, industry campaigns and a deadline extension to 2027, nearly six in ten over-50s remain unaware.

That is the demographic most likely to use, and depend on, a landline.

Many People in Rural Area

Younger households have largely moved to mobiles. But for many over-50s, particularly those in rural areas, the landline is still the main phone in the home.

It is used for:

• Daily communication
• Emergency contact
• Telecare alarms
• Staying connected during power cuts
• Combatting loneliness and isolation

In some parts of rural Britain, it is the only reliable option.

What Is Actually Happening?

The UK’s old copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is being retired and replaced with digital Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

Telecom providers first announced the move in 2017. The original 2025 deadline has since been extended to 31 January 2027.

After that date, traditional analogue landlines will stop working.

Calls won’t disappear, but they will run through broadband instead of copper wires.

The issue isn’t the technology itself. It’s awareness.

A Dangerous Last-Minute Rush?

With fewer than 12 months to go, Phonely is now warning of another problem: a potential hardware bottleneck.

If millions of households leave switching until late 2026, the UK could see:

• Shortages of VoIP adapters and handsets
• Delays in engineer availability
• Backlogs in rural installations
• Increased pressure on providers

Bryn Thompson, Director at Phonely, said:

“The extension to 2027 has created a false sense of security. The fact that nearly six in ten over-50s still don’t know this is happening should concern everyone involved. If the majority wait until they’re forced to move, we risk chaos at the eleventh hour.”

Millions Still to Switch

Ofcom data shows around 5.2 million UK households were still using PSTN-based landlines as of late 2024.

That figure has fallen, but slowly.

And with awareness levels among over-50s barely improving since 2024, the risk remains that a significant proportion will only act once their provider contacts them directly.

For many older adults, that conversation may come as a shock.

The Bottom Line

The landline itself isn’t disappearing. But the system behind it is changing.

For a demographic that values stability, familiarity and reliability, this is a major infrastructure change happening largely out of sight.

Two years on from Phonely’s original findings, the data suggests one clear conclusion:

The message still isn’t getting through.

And with January 2027 approaching fast, waiting may no longer be an option.