Telecoms giant BT migrated 300,000 UK business customers away from legacy phone lines and on to digital broadband and phone solutions in 2024. But the provider claims that 22% of small businesses still see themselves as “analogue“, relying on tools like traditional landlines, paper contracts and fax machines, which must change before the old service is switched-off.
In case anybody has forgotten, the big switch-off was recently delayed to 31st January 2027 in order to give broadband ISPs, phone providers, telecare providers, councils and consumers more time to adapt (details). But the main focus of this delay was the 1.8 million people who use vital home telecare systems in the UK (e.g. elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people), which often aren’t compatible with the replacement VoIP / IP-based digital phone services (i.e. for everybody else the deadline is still technically Dec 2025).
However, it’s not only consumers that will be impacted by this, with businesses also needing to make the switch. A national survey of small businesses, which was commission by BT and conducted via Censuswide with over 1,500 senior decision-makers, claims to have found that 22% still define themselves as “analogue”, primarily using traditional processes such as physical filing systems, paper contracts, and older technology such as fax machines. By contrast, 80% that have invested in new technology say it has given them a competitive advantage, with 79% saying it had helped them to find new customers.
The UK is estimated to be home to 5.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), thus there are still likely to be quite a few organisations that are behind in their preparations for the change. BT warns that businesses failing to migrate sooner than the cut-off date will also be at risk of “increased outages” as the ageing network becomes more fragile. Ofcom’s recent Connected Nations report highlights that the number of incidents on the legacy PSTN increased by 45% in 2024.
Kerry Small, Chief Operating Officer for Business at BT, said:
“The UK’s analogue copper telephone network has a proud history, but it’s no longer up to the task for businesses. It’s simply too risky to build the economy on a shaky foundation, and we’re calling on all businesses to move before the end of 2025 – well ahead of the switch-off.
Analogue companies making the move now can benefit from rock-solid digital connectivity to help keep them in business for years to come. We’re supporting customers small and large through the move, so no business is left behind. Whether you’re a tech start-up or a family firm passed down through generations, when it comes to going digital – BT’s got your back.”
Any technology still relying on the PSTN will stop working when the network is retired.