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Network operator Openreach (BT) recently revealed that they would try to maintain broadband connectivity on old analogue UK phone lines that fail to go digital by the 31st January 2027. But they also included a caveat to say that this would only be maintained “where technically possible“. Today the operator revealed a bit more detail on this.
Just to recap. The old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) from BT and Openreach’s supporting Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) service are currently due to be switched off on the aforementioned deadline. At this point those who have yet to switch to a modern IP-based (digital) alternative solution will eventually find themselves placed on a temporary Emergency Voice Access (eVAC) solution.
The eVAC is a last resort service that maintains a lot of the original functionality of those older lines, albeit while losing quite a few of its features and costing significantly more (partly to encourage those in this boat to get off it as quickly as they can). Under the original plan this would have only retained phone (voice) connectivity and NOT broadband, but as above, that did recently change.