WIREDGOV

In just eight months’ time, in January 2027, the copper network that powers traditional landline phones is expected to be switched off, and the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) is supporting calls to government and industry to push back the deadline to 2030.

The move is two-part. The first is to move landlines to internet-based telephony, and the second falls under the All-IP project, which sees external cables replaced. Investment in the copper network slowed in favour of fibre provision, meaning this network is now less resilient. Increased faults on the copper network are frequently cited as a reason to transition to IP-based phone lines.

Whilst, for many people, the transition is easy, the change is concerning for those most in need of a landline telephone connection and those who are least digitally confident. Despite nationwide workshops and celebrity endorsements, the reality is that much of the switchover has relied upon friends, family, neighbours and community groups filling the gaps. The DPA has heard from people needing to travel hundreds of miles on return trips to support older relatives to set up new equipment, because of a lack of skills and confidence amongst older people to swap out connectivity equipment.

Whilst many migrations happen when a contract is updated, because cheaper deals can no longer be sought from any provider without agreeing to move to digital landlines, other migrations are happening regardless of this. In some cases, migrations have been very poorly signposted, with just a single email indicating that the change was coming before landline connectivity was then lost.

Whilst Openreach states that it has trained 4,000 engineers to support telecare users, we still hear stories of people who have been left behind with equipment no longer working, perhaps because they have not understood the need to self-identify as vulnerable and declare this to their providers. ‘Vulnerable’ is the term used by telephone providers to identify those who need additional support. Recent research found that nearly 60% of adults over the age of 50 are unaware that the switchover is coming, with around one in two older adults digitally excluded, commonly through a lack of digital skills, and therefore totally unaware of the need to contact providers to discuss their needs.

Especially for those in rural areas, concerns about power cuts remain huge, with battery back-up units only being mandated to cover one hour’s power for phone calls, and only free of charge in some circumstances. Where the traditional telephone network carried power independently, fibre relies on an in-home power connection. Internet outages pose additional risks, with Which? research in 2025 suggesting that 15% of households had lost internet connectivity for an hour or more, and 8% for a day or more.

Those with very low digital skills struggle with the idea of fault management, where resetting a router is an alien concept. Whilst mobiles remain the default back-up for those who only irregularly use a smartphone, such as elderly people, these may not be kept charged for emergencies. In any event, mobile signals can also be disrupted by power cuts, particularly in areas that can see power disruptions last 24 hours or more.

Some of the greatest concerns we have heard have come from Scotland and Wales, where rural connectivity is challenging on a range of different levels, and even clinical staff have anonymously raised concerns that patients will be isolated. Consumers contacting us refer to fibre landlines as being ‘less reliable’, a common concern for those in isolated communities.

The DPA also learned that there are a significant minority of homes that cannot be migrated to fibre and where an engineer will be required to visit homes at the point that the copper network is switched off. Without the visit, internet access will be lost.

Over 100,000 people have signed a petition from Silver Voices calling on government to halt the switchover. The DPA has aligned with Silver Voices on the issue, calling for government to step in and delay the switchover until 2030, with additional conditions placed on providers.

• It must be guaranteed that all older people, or those identified as vulnerable, receive the same level of in-home support as those known to have telecare.
• There must be firm guarantees that no household will risk losing internet access as part of the switchover, with proactive scheduling of engineer visits by providers.
• There must be an end to forced migrations where there is no indoor 4G or 5G mobile signal, alongside work by providers and mobile providers to ensure full coverage.
• There must be mandatory provision of battery back-up units for everyone over the age of 60, those with long-term health conditions, and those on Universal Credit.