Business phones and broadband: key facts
- The PSTN (the analogue phone network) and ISDN are being retired. The deadline for moving every line to a digital service is 31 January 2027.
- Openreach, which runs most of the UK's phone lines, stopped selling new analogue lines in September 2023.
- Alarms, card terminals, lift phones, telecare, fax, franking machines and door entry systems can all depend on an old phone line.
- Digital phone lines need mains power at your premises, so they stop working in a power cut unless there is battery backup.
- Business broadband usually differs from home broadband in fix times, support hours, static IP addresses and the service level agreement (SLA).
- You can usually keep your existing phone number when you move to VoIP or change provider. This is called porting.
- Ofcom gives some consumer-style protections to small businesses, such as contract summaries and end-of-contract notices for the smallest firms.
- Business Utilities Hub is an introducer, not a telecoms provider. We pass quote requests on, with your consent, and may be paid for introductions.
What is the PSTN switch-off and when does it happen?
The PSTN switch-off is the closure of the UK's old copper telephone network and ISDN lines. Phone calls are moving onto digital services that run over broadband, and the deadline for moving every line across is 31 January 2027.
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) carried calls over copper wires as analogue signals. It is old and costly to maintain, and ISDN, which many businesses used for multiple lines, is closing alongside it. Calls will instead travel as data, like email.
Openreach, which runs most of the UK's phone lines, stopped selling new analogue lines in September 2023, and providers have been moving customers over since. If your business still has an old line, migration is coming soon either way.
It is often called the copper switch-off, but copper wires may still run into your building afterwards. What changes is the service: calls go over broadband, and the line no longer supplies its own power.
What business equipment could stop working after the copper switch-off?
Anything that uses a phone line to send signals, not just the phones themselves. The usual examples are alarms, card terminals, lift emergency phones, telecare devices, fax and franking machines, and door entry systems.
Some equipment will work on a digital line with an adapter, some needs a new part, and some needs replacing. Only the supplier can tell you which.
| Equipment | Why it can be affected | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Intruder and fire alarms | Monitored alarms often send signals to a monitoring centre over the phone line. Your insurance may depend on that monitoring. | Alarm installer or monitoring company |
| Card payment terminals | Older countertop terminals may dial out over a phone line to process payments. | Card terminal provider |
| Lift emergency phones | These usually have their own line and must keep working for safety reasons. | Lift maintenance company |
| Telecare and personal alarms | Pendant alarms and care alarms in care homes, sheltered housing or staff accommodation often use a phone line. | Telecare provider or local council service |
| Fax machines | Fax was designed for analogue lines and can be unreliable on digital ones. | Machine supplier or your phone provider |
| Franking machines | Some download postage credit over a phone line. | Franking machine supplier |
| Door entry and gate systems | Some door entry panels dial a phone number when someone presses a button. | Door entry installer |
| CCTV, EPOS and building controls | Some older systems use a line for remote access or to send data. | The system supplier |
Walk round the building and look for anything plugged into a phone socket or wired back to the main socket.
What should a business do to prepare for the PSTN switch-off?
Make a list of every phone line and everything connected to it, ask your provider and each equipment supplier what will change, then test everything once your line has moved to digital.
- Audit your lines. Check your phone bills for every line and number you pay for. Look out for forgotten alarm or fax lines.
- List what connects to each line. Use the table above as a starting point and walk the building.
- Ask your phone provider when your line will be migrated, what service it will move to, and whether your numbers will move with it.
- Ask each equipment supplier in writing whether their kit will work on a digital line, and what it will cost if it won't.
- Tell your insurer if your policy relies on a monitored alarm, and check whether anything changes.
- Choose a sensible time for the switch, away from your busiest days if you can.
- Test afterwards. Make calls in and out, take a card payment, ask the alarm company for a test signal, and test the lift phone and door entry.
Already migrated? Run the tests anyway. Alarm problems may not show until the alarm needs to call out.
Will business phones work in a power cut after the switch-off?
Not by themselves. Old copper lines carried their own power from the exchange, but digital phones run through a router that needs electricity at your premises, so they stop when the power does.
This matters most for emergency calls, alarms, lift phones and telecare.
- Battery backup. Ask your provider whether it offers a battery unit for the router, and roughly how long it lasts.
- Mobile phones. Keep at least one charged mobile on site for 999 calls.
- Equipment with its own backup. Many alarms and some card terminals have their own batteries and can switch to mobile data.
For lifts and telecare, ask the supplier how their kit behaves in a power cut.
What is the difference between business broadband and home broadband?
The cables are often the same. The difference is in the service: business broadband usually comes with faster fix times, support during business hours or longer, a static IP address option and less sharing of capacity at busy times.
| Feature | What it means | Why a business might need it |
|---|---|---|
| Service level agreement (SLA) | A written promise about how the service is run, often including a target time to fix faults. | If you can't trade without the internet, a quicker fix target matters. |
| Support | A dedicated business support line, sometimes open evenings and weekends. | Faults don't only happen in office hours. |
| Static IP address | A fixed internet address that does not change. | Needed for some remote access, VPNs, CCTV viewing and hosted systems. |
| Contention | How many users share the same capacity on the network. | Lower contention means speeds hold up better at busy times. Leased lines are not shared at all. |
| Business terms | The contract is written for business use. | Home broadband terms are generally meant for residential use only. |
A fix target is a target, not a guarantee. Check whether it counts evenings and weekends, and whether you get credit if it is missed.
What types of business broadband connection are there?
The main types are full fibre (FTTP), part fibre (FTTC), broadband-only lines (SOGEA), 4G or 5G mobile broadband, and leased lines. What you can get depends on your address.
Full fibre (FTTP) runs fibre optic cable all the way into your building. It is usually the fastest and most consistent option, with good upload speeds for video calls and VoIP. Installation may involve some work if your building isn't connected yet.
FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) runs fibre to the green street cabinet and copper for the last stretch to your premises. It is widely available, but speed drops the further you are from the cabinet.
SOGEA stands for single order generic Ethernet access. In plain English, it is FTTC-style broadband without a traditional phone service on the line. It is replacing the old phone line plus broadband combination.
4G and 5G broadband uses a router with a SIM card, connecting to a mobile network rather than a cable. It can suit rural premises, temporary sites, or work as a backup.
Leased lines are dedicated fibre connections used only by your business. Upload and download speeds are usually the same, and they typically come with stronger SLAs. They tend to cost more, take longer to install and have longer contracts.
Any speed you are quoted should be treated as a rough guide until the service is installed. A provider can check what is available at your exact address.
What is VoIP and can a business keep its phone number?
VoIP (voice over internet protocol) means making phone calls over an internet connection. Most businesses can keep their existing numbers when they move to VoIP or change provider, through a process called porting.
- Digital voice line. A straightforward replacement for a single phone line. A handset plugs into your router and works much as before.
- Cloud phone system. A hosted system that replaces an office switchboard. Staff can use desk phones, mobile apps or a computer, and features such as call transfer, voicemail to email and call queues are set up online.
Porting your number. Porting moves an existing number to a new provider. Your new provider normally handles it, and you will usually need a recent bill and the account details exactly as they appear on it. Don't cancel your old service before the port completes, as cancelling first can risk losing the number.
Call quality depends on your broadband, especially upload speed and how busy the connection is. Ask whether the connection can prioritise voice traffic.
How can a business keep card payments working if the broadband goes down?
Give payments a second route. The common options are card terminals that switch to a mobile data SIM, a 4G or 5G router that takes over automatically when the main line fails, or a second broadband connection from a different network.
A backup doesn't need to be fast. Card payments use very little data, so a modest mobile connection is usually enough.
- Terminals with a SIM. Many portable terminals can use mobile data. Ask whether yours switch over automatically.
- Automatic failover router. Some business routers include a mobile SIM that takes over when the fixed line drops, keeping the till, card machines and phones online.
- Second fixed line. Ideally on a different network, so one fault doesn't take out both.
Before relying on mobile backup, check the signal where the router or terminals actually sit.
What should a business check in a broadband and phone contract?
Check the contract length, what happens when it ends, how prices can change, what it costs to leave early and what equipment is included. Ofcom gives extra protections to many small businesses, but not every rule applies to every business.
- Length. Business contracts commonly run for one, two or three years, and leased lines can be longer.
- Renewal. Ask what happens at the end of the term: whether it rolls on, on what price, and how much notice you must give to leave.
- Early termination charges. Find out what you would pay to leave early, for example if you move or close.
- Price rises. Check how and when prices can change during the contract.
- Equipment. Are routers and handsets bought, rented or included?
- Separate contracts. Alarm monitoring, card terminals and some phone systems often have their own agreements, so check those too before changing anything.
Ofcom protections. Ofcom, the communications regulator, extends some consumer protections to small businesses and not-for-profit organisations. These include receiving a contract summary before you sign, and, for the smallest businesses, a notice when your contract is coming to an end. Ofcom has also changed the rules on how mid-contract price rises must be set out. Which rules apply depends on the size of your business and the service you buy, so check Ofcom's guidance or ask the provider directly.
What information should a business have ready when asking for broadband and phone quotes?
Your premises postcode, a recent bill, your contract end date, how many lines and numbers you have, roughly how many people use the connection, and a list of anything else that relies on the line.
- Your postcode, as availability varies by address.
- A recent bill showing your provider, account number, numbers on the account and what you pay.
- Your contract end date, so you know whether you would face early termination charges.
- Phone numbers you want to keep, including any non-geographic numbers.
- How many users and devices share the connection, and how many people make calls at once.
- What the connection is used for: card payments, cloud software, video calls, CCTV, guest Wi-Fi.
- Equipment on the line: alarms, lift phones, door entry, fax and franking.
Are there broadband and phone guides for specific types of business?
Yes. Different businesses rely on their connection in different ways, so we are writing sector guides. The first is our guide to phones and broadband for pubs, with more sectors to follow.
For energy as well as phones and broadband, see utilities for pubs or our general business energy guide. You can ask for energy and phone and broadband quotes on the same form by ticking both boxes.
Related guides
Business phones and broadband: frequently asked questions
When is the PSTN switch-off?
The deadline for moving every line from the analogue phone network (PSTN) and ISDN to a digital service is 31 January 2027. Openreach stopped selling new analogue lines in September 2023, and lines are being migrated before the deadline.
Do I need to do anything about the copper switch-off?
Your provider will usually contact you about moving your line. You still need to check what else in your building uses the line, such as alarms, card terminals, lift phones and door entry, and ask each supplier whether it will work on digital.
Will my alarm still work after the switch to digital?
It depends how it sends signals. Monitored alarms that use the phone line may need a new communicator or a mobile connection. Ask your alarm company before your line moves and ask for a test signal afterwards.
Do digital phone lines work in a power cut?
Not without backup power, because the router needs mains electricity. Ask your provider about battery backup and keep a charged mobile on site for emergency calls.
What is the difference between business and home broadband?
The connection itself is often the same. Business broadband usually adds faster fix targets, business support, a static IP address option and terms written for business use.
Do I need a static IP address?
Only if something you use needs a fixed internet address, such as some remote access, VPNs, CCTV viewing or hosted systems. If you're not sure, ask your IT supplier or the companies that provide those systems.
What is SOGEA?
SOGEA is a broadband line without a traditional phone service on it. It is replacing the old combination of a phone line and broadband, with calls then made over the internet using VoIP.
Is full fibre better than FTTC?
Full fibre is usually faster and more consistent, with better upload speeds, because the fibre runs all the way into the building. FTTC uses copper for the last stretch, so speed depends on distance from the street cabinet. Availability depends on your address.
Can I keep my business phone number if I switch to VoIP?
Usually, yes. Moving a number to a new provider is called porting, and the new provider normally arranges it. Don't cancel your old service until the port is complete.
How can I keep taking card payments if the internet goes down?
Use a backup route, such as card terminals with a mobile data SIM, a router that switches to 4G or 5G automatically, or a second connection. Check the mobile signal where the equipment sits.
Can I leave my business broadband contract early?
Usually only by paying early termination charges set out in your contract. Check the charges, the notice period and what happens at the end of the term before you sign.
Does Business Utilities Hub give telecoms advice?
No. We publish general guides and, with your consent, pass quote requests to telecoms providers and energy brokers we work with. We may be paid for introductions, and you are not obliged to accept any quote.