Home phone digital switchover: what you need to know

The UK’s traditional analogue telephone network is being retired and replaced by digital technology.

Instead of travelling through the old analogue phone network, home phone calls will be made using an internet connection.

For decades, home phone calls have been carried through the Public Switched Telephone Network, usually shortened to PSTN.

This technology is commonly called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.

You may also hear it called:

• The copper switch-off
• The analogue landline switch-off
• The PSTN switch-off
• The digital phone switchover
• The move to Digital Voice

The old analogue network has reached the end of its serviceable life and is becoming increasingly difficult to repair and maintain.

Phone providers are therefore replacing traditional analogue home phone services with newer digital technology.

The Openreach analogue network is due to be retired on 31 January 2027.

If you still use a phone service that relies on this network, you’ll need to move to a digital alternative. Other phone providers are making similar changes and may move customers at different times.

Your current provider should contact you before changing your service.

No.

You can still have a home phone and continue making and receiving calls. It’s the technology carrying your calls that’s changing.

Instead of using the traditional analogue phone network, your home phone will use a digital service.

With the January 2027 deadline approaching, we recommend checking your current setup and understanding your options now.

It’s particularly important to check if you use telecare, medical, security or other equipment connected to your phone line, have poor mobile signal or rely on your home phone for emergency calls.

You don’t need to work it all out yourself, but there are a few things you can do to get prepared.

Think about how you use your home phone

Consider whether you still use and need your home phone. If you do, you’ll need to move to a digital alternative. If you don’t, a broadband-only service may suit you better and save you some money.

Check what is connected to your phone line

Look for alarms, telecare equipment, medical devices, security systems or other equipment connected to a telephone wall socket.

Speak to your equipment provider

If you use monitored, medical or safety-related equipment, contact the organisation that supplied it before changing your phone service.

Tell your provider if you rely on your home phone

Let your provider know if you don’t have a mobile phone, have poor mobile signal or rely on your home phone to contact the emergency services.

Don’t cancel your existing service too early

If you want to keep your current phone number, keep your existing phone service active until the transfer has been completed.

Your current provider should contact you before making changes to your service.

However, analogue phone services that rely on the old network can’t continue once that service has been retired, so it’s important not to ignore communications from your provider.

If you’re unsure whether you’ll be affected, speak to your current provider or give the GoFibre team a call to talk through your options.

Your phone may still use an analogue service if it plugs directly into a traditional telephone wall socket.

Your bill may also include line rental or a traditional landline service.

Contact the phone provider shown on your bill if you’re unsure.

Not exactly.

The terms are often used interchangeably, but the Home Phone Digital Switchover is specifically about the move away from traditional analogue phone services.

The wider move away from older copper-based technology is happening alongside this as newer digital and full fibre services are rolled out.

If your broadband or phone service needs to change, your provider should contact you and explain your options.

This doesn’t mean every broadband connection will simply stop working without warning on 31 January 2027.

Your broadband won’t simply stop working without warning because of the Home Phone Digital Switchover.

Your provider may need to move you from an older product to a newer broadband or phone service. If something needs to change, they should contact you and explain your options.

Digital home phone calls need an internet-based connection, but different providers offer different solutions.

GoFibre Call Plan+ is provided alongside a GoFibre full fibre broadband service.

FTTP stands for Fibre to the Premises, and is also known as full fibre.

It means fibre-optic cable runs all the way to your home rather than stopping at a street cabinet and using copper cable for the final part of the connection.

FTTC stands for Fibre to the Cabinet.

With FTTC, fibre runs to a street cabinet and copper cable completes the connection to your home.

With full fibre or FTTP, fibre runs directly to your property. This means it can support faster broadband speeds and doesn’t rely on copper for the final part of the connection.

Full fibre can support faster download and upload speeds than standard broadband and gives your household more capacity for things like streaming, video calls, home working, gaming and multiple connected devices.

It also means fibre runs all the way to your home rather than relying on copper cable for the final part of the connection.

If you still want a home phone, you can add Call Plan+ and bring your broadband and digital home phone service together.

We are proud of our industry-leading customer service, with a 5star Trustpilot rating.

Call Plan+ is GoFibre’s digital home phone service.

It uses your GoFibre full fibre connection to make and receive calls and includes unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines and mobiles.

With Call Plan+, you can:

• Continue making and receiving home phone calls
• Make unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines and mobiles
• Keep your existing number, with no transfer charge
• Make calls through your GoFibre full fibre connection
• Bring your broadband and home phone service together
• Get support from our UK-based team throughout your switch

You’ll need a compatible handset.

Some existing handsets may work, but others may need to be replaced. GoFibre doesn’t supply the handset, so speak to our team before switching if you’re unsure.

We supply the RJ11 cable needed to connect a compatible handset to your router.

You’ll need a compatible handset, which isn’t supplied by GoFibre but can be purchased from local retailers and starts at under £20.

Your handset connects directly to your GoFibre router using the cable supplied.

If you have the white GoFibre router, it connects to the port labelled Phone1.

If you have the black Advanced Router, it connects to the port labelled L1.

It won’t work if it’s plugged into one of the old telephone wall sockets around your home.

With GoFibre Call Plan+, your phone connects directly to your GoFibre router instead.

Your traditional telephone wall socket won’t be used for Call Plan+.

Yes.

GoFibre is offering number transfers free of charge. The transfer usually takes around 14 days.

Keep your existing phone service active until we confirm that the transfer is complete. Cancelling it too early could prevent us from transferring your number.

Yes.

You can call standard UK landline and mobile numbers. The person you’re calling doesn’t need to use a digital phone service.

When using Call Plan+, remember to include the full area code when calling a landline number.

Your GoFibre router and connection equipment need electricity.

Call Plan+ won’t work during a power cut.

You should have another way to make emergency calls, such as a charged mobile phone with reliable signal.

Your GoFibre router and connection equipment need electricity.

GoFibre provides vulnerable customers with a Battery Backup Unit (BBU). The Battery Backup Unit helps keep your broadband and phone service running during a power outage, keeping you connected to friends, family, and emergency services.

You should have another way to make emergency calls, such as a charged mobile phone with reliable signal.

Please note that the battery backup supports only wired phone handsets and lasts up to an hour. DECT/cordless handsets are not supported, including handsets that connect through a base unit.

Please also note that a Battery Backup Unit will only support in the event of a power outage, not if there is a fibre fault with your connection.

Because Call Plan+ uses your broadband connection, you won’t be able to make or receive calls during a network outage affecting your home.

You should have an alternative way to contact the emergency services.

Call Plan+ can be used to make calls while your broadband connection and electricity are working.

However, it won’t work during a power cut or broadband outage.

Speak to our team before switching if you have poor mobile signal or depend on your home phone for emergency calls.

Don’t change your phone service until you’ve spoken to the organisation that supplied or monitors your equipment.

Some devices designed for analogue phone lines may not work with a digital service or may need to be upgraded.

GoFibre Call Plan+ does not support telehealth equipment that relies on a traditional analogue phone line.

Equipment connected to your old phone line may need to be upgraded, replaced or reconfigured.

This can include burglar alarms, CCTV systems, door-entry systems, fax machines and payment terminals.

Contact the equipment supplier or monitoring company before changing your service. Call Plan+ does not support home security systems that rely on a traditional analogue phone line.

No.

Your current provider should explain what digital home phone options it can offer you.

You can also choose to move your broadband and home phone service to GoFibre if our full fibre network is available at your address.

We’ll make it as simple as possible.

Give us a call and we’ll check whether GoFibre is available, talk through your current home phone setup and explain what you need.

Where One Touch Switch applies, we can coordinate the broadband move with your current provider. We can also arrange the transfer of your existing home phone number.

Speak to us before cancelling your existing services and we’ll help make sure everything happens in the right order.

One Touch Switch lets you change your landline and broadband provider by only contacting your new supplier. Your new provider handles the entire switch, including cancelling your old contract, coordinating activation dates, and preventing a double-billed notice period. Where One Touch Switch applies, all you need to do is let us know you’d like to move to GoFibre, and we’ll handle the rest.

Where One Touch Switch applies, GoFibre can coordinate your broadband move with your current provider.

You won’t normally need to contact your existing broadband provider to arrange the cancellation yourself.

We can also arrange the transfer of your existing home phone number.

Call us before cancelling any broadband or phone service, particularly if you want to keep your current number.

It depends on what is already installed at your property.

If a new GoFibre full fibre connection needs to be installed, an engineer visit may be required. We’ll explain what’s needed and what to expect before your installation.

Setting up Call Plan+ itself involves connecting your compatible handset to your GoFibre router.

The time needed to switch your broadband will depend on your property and whether a new full fibre connection needs to be installed.

If you’re transferring your existing home phone number to GoFibre, the number transfer usually takes around 14 days.

Our team will explain the expected timescales when you speak to us.

Being in contract doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wait.

Eligible residential customers can claim a GoFibre Switching Credit of up to £200 towards eligible early termination charges from their previous broadband provider.

Terms and eligibility requirements apply.

The credit is applied to your GoFibre account following an approved claim.

You don’t have to replace it with another home phone service.

If you no longer need or use a home phone, you can choose a broadband-only service instead.

Be cautious if someone unexpectedly contacts you asking for passwords, bank details, payment for equipment or access to your computer.

If you’re unsure, end the call and contact your provider using the official details shown on your bill or website. Don’t rely on a telephone number supplied by an unexpected caller.