What is the Big Switch Off?
The Big Switch Off is the end of the PSTN (Traditional Landline) and ISDN (Legacy Internet Network) services, which are considered older forms of internet and landline connections. These services are being replaced by VoIP technology, a digital and fibre-based service that offers greater speeds and an overall upgrade. This transition will improve communication efficiency and reduce maintenance costs associated with outdated copper wire infrastructure which supported the PSTN and ISDN services.
When will the Big Switch Off occur?
The complete retirement of the PSTN (Traditional Landline) and ISDN (Legacy Internet Network) services will be January 2027, making way for fibre. However, as of September 2023, no new PSTN or ISDN connections are being sold as these services are considered to be dated and inefficient technology. The original Big Switch Off was set for December 2025, though has since been extended.
Who will be affected by this change?
Homes and businesses using traditional landline services will no longer have access to the internet and all connected devices will be offline. This can include TV’s and consoles, to alarms and CCTV systems. Unfortunately, you will require a new broadband service and likely newer devices to maintain the existing services you use that rely on your PSTN (Traditional Landline) or ISDN (Legacy connection.
What should I do to prepare for the switch off?
Users are encouraged to begin transitioning to VoIP systems as soon as possible ahead of the 2027 Big Switch Off. This includes upgrading your broadband connection (once possible) and changing devices around your home if they’re only compatible with older broadband (PSTN and ASDL) that you need to upgrade to maintain an internet connection.
What happens if I don't switch by 2027?
If you still have older broadband (PSTN and IDSN) connected to your home and no other, newer internet connection, you will lose your home or businesses access to the internet. You will be without Wi-Fi and all of your devices connected will be disconnected.
Can I keep my landline after 2027?
You cannot keep your landline and telephone once the Big Switch Off is complete as the network infrastructure that provides that service will be retired and cease operation. To maintain a house phone that’s similar, switch to a VoIP phone that uses digital technology and is supported by the new fibre broadband network. These phones will feel very familiar to use and are an overall upgrade from your landline telephone.
Your Co-op Broadband or Mobile do not stock VoIP phones for single purchase and can only be included with a broadband package.
Will broadband become obsolete
Broadband won’t become obsolete as a result of the Big Switch Off, and is unlikely to be obsolete in the future. ASDL (Legacy Internet Service) and older forms of broadband technology are currently being phased out in the UK and is being replaced with full fibre cables to improve internet access, capacity and speed for an increasingly online and interconnected country.
Is there a way to convert an Ethernet port on an existing router to connect a phone? What is the adapter called and where can it be bought?
You can purchase an analogue telephone adapter (ATA) to plug into a spare ethernet port on your router. Your Digital Voice credentials will be stored on the ATA instead of on the router and your phone will plug into the socket on the ATA using an RJ11 adapter
Is there any way to keep using the existing copper cable into the house?
In areas where FTTP is not available, the solution will still rely on the copper from the green street cabinet to the home. The name for this service is SOGEA, it replaces FTTC and can provide connection speeds of up to 80Mbps. The copper will only provide the broadband service - voice will still require a Digital Voice subscription.
Will I be charged for an engineer visit to upgrade from copper to full fibre, particularly in blocks of flats?
A standard install to connect a property to fibre is not chargable. There are enhanced levels that can be selected when ordering fibre that allow for longer cabling runs or custom setups, but the standard install is going to be fine for most cases, even flats. The difficulty with flats, or MDUs (multi-dwelling units) is that the building needs to be connected to the network before individual apartments can be wired up. Getting permission from the freeholder can be difficult.
Will existing phone extensions in different rooms still work with digital voice?
The new service will be broadband, provided as far as the master socket or ONT. Extension sockets are connected to the voice network, which is being turned off. This means extension sockets won't work any more, and the recommended solution is to use cordless phones in rooms that would previously have had extension sockets.
Is mobile broadband an option where fibre is unavailable?
Depending on reception and your individual requirements mobile broadband could be a perfectly adequate substitute for fixed broadband. However, if a fixed broadband service is currently available then a digital service will also be available, even if it's not full-fibre.
Is there any way to boost mobile signal in areas with poor reception?
There are no commercially available, off the shelf, one-size-fits-all solutions. Some mobile providers may be able to provide customers with equipment to boost their mobile signal within a premises.
Could aerial fibre cables be used for hard-to-access buildings instead of underground cabling?
Depending on how your home is connected to the existing network, there's every liklihood that FTTP will be provided from overhead, via a telephone pole. Underground is tidier but not mandatory, and may not be possible for various reasons of access.
What about phones that connect via laptops rather than directly to routers?
If you are using a "softphone" app or connecting an IP phone directly to a computer's ethernet or USB port, then you are already using a VoIP service and just need to ensure your broadband service is upgraded.
