Openreach warns a million UK lines still need digital migration
About 300,000 lines at business premises remain on the analogue network, with payment terminals and safety systems among the equipment at risk.
Around one million UK telephone lines still use copper as the analogue network approaches its permanent closure on 31 January 2027, Openreach has warned. The BT Group network operator said fewer than 100 days remained to move affected services to digital alternatives.
The outstanding lines include 300,000 at business premises. Openreach warned of risks to operations, safety and compliance if migration is delayed. Equipment that could cease functioning includes card terminals, emergency telephones in lifts, fire alarms, security installations and door-entry systems. James Lilley, Openreach’s director of All-IP, urged organisations to identify their remaining analogue services and arrange migration with their communications providers.
Openreach increased legacy-line rental charges twofold on 1 October, with additional increases planned from February. Customers missing the deadline may be transferred automatically to a temporary fallback service restricted to essential calls. The company said that option would cost significantly more than digital services.
Households can retain a landline, but their telephone will connect through a broadband router rather than the old network. Ofcom, the UK regulator, found that just over a million households moved to broadband-only services during the year ending in July 2025.
