January 2027 is the date BT Openreach has confirmed for the full switch-off of the UK's PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) — the copper wire phone network that has connected UK businesses since the 1800s. After that date, analogue phone lines simply stop working.
This is not a small change. It affects every single business in the West Midlands that has any of the following:
- A BT phone line (even if you only use it for broadband)
- ISDN2e or ISDN30 lines
- FTTC (fibre-to-the-cabinet) broadband — which uses a copper phone line for the final connection
- A fax machine connected to a phone line
- A PDQ card terminal connected via a phone line
- A monitored burglar alarm with a PSTN dialler
- A lift emergency telephone connected to a phone line
What Has Already Happened (Stop Sell)
BT's "Stop Sell" — meaning you cannot order new PSTN or ISDN lines — is already in effect across most UK exchanges, including the majority of Birmingham and the West Midlands. If your current line fails today in many areas, BT will only offer a temporary fix, not a permanent replacement.
What You Need to Do — By Service Type
📞 Phone Lines (PSTN/ISDN)
Migrate to a hosted VoIP system before your area is switched off. Your existing numbers can be ported — your customers dial the same numbers. Telexico's Cloud X VoIP system handles this migration for free.
📡 Broadband (FTTC)
FTTC broadband uses a copper phone line to connect your premises to the street cabinet. When PSTN switches off, FTTC stops working. You'll need to upgrade to FTTP (full fibre to the premises) or another non-copper solution such as 4G/5G or leased line.
💳 Card Machines (PDQ)
Contact your card machine provider immediately. Older PSTN-connected terminals will stop working. Most providers now offer IP or 4G connected terminals — your provider should handle the swap, but you need to prompt them.
🚨 Alarm Systems
Alarm systems with PSTN diallers are common in West Midlands businesses. When PSTN goes off, your alarm will still make noise locally but won't signal your monitoring centre. Your alarm engineer needs to upgrade the communicator to IP or 4G. Telexico can install 4G communicators as part of your overall migration.
📠 Fax Machines
Fax over IP (FoIP) services exist and your fax number can be ported. Cloud fax services receive faxes as PDFs delivered to your email. No hardware required.
West Midlands: Which Areas Are Affected First?
Openreach is switching off exchanges on a rolling basis. Birmingham city centre exchanges, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Solihull are among the areas where Stop Sell is already in effect. Full switch-off of specific exchanges is being communicated with 12 months' notice — meaning some West Midlands businesses may receive their notice in 2025 or early 2026.
How Long Does Migration Take?
With Telexico managing the process, a full VoIP migration for most West Midlands businesses takes 5–14 working days. Number porting runs in parallel. There is no gap in service. The sooner you start, the more choice you have in timing.
Free PSTN Migration Audit
We'll audit every PSTN-connected service in your business and provide a clear migration plan. Free, no obligation, completed within 48 hours.
Get Your Free Audit →Telexico Communications
Based in Wolverhampton, Telexico provides VoIP, broadband, CCTV, AI services and cyber security to businesses across Birmingham, the West Midlands and the UK. Learn more →