The copper switch-off: Everything you need to know
What York homes and businesses need to know before January 2027
If you live or run a business in York city centre, January 2027 is a date you need to know about. The UK’s old copper telephone network is being switched off for good, and it affects more than just your landline.
The good news is that if you’re already on Fastr full fibre, you’re ahead of the game. Our network is fully digital and our phone service runs over your broadband connection, so you’re already set up for the world after the copper switch-off.
If you’re not yet on full fibre, read on. Here’s what’s happening, what it means for you, and what you need to do before the deadline.
What is the copper switch-off?
The UK’s phone network has run on copper wires since the Victorian era. That network has powered our landlines and most broadband connections for decades, but it’s now badly ageing. Openreach, the company that runs the UK’s phone infrastructure, has described it as “falling to bits“, with spare parts no longer available.
The decision has been made to switch it off and replace it with a fully digital system. The deadline is 31 January 2027, and Openreach has confirmed this date is not going to move again.
For most people, the practical change is small. Your phone number stays the same. Your calls work the same way. Instead of running through a copper phone line, your calls travel over your broadband connection instead. The switch is simple: you unplug your phone from the old socket on the wall and plug it into your broadband router. Your provider handles the technical side remotely.
| Already on Fastr? Your broadband connection is full fibre, so you’re already on the right side of this change. If you also have Fastr Phone, your calls already run digitally over your broadband and you’re fully set up for life after the copper switch-off. If you have a landline with a different provider, or you’re not sure, read on and check the section below on alarms and other devices that might use the old copper line separately. |
What happens if I miss the deadline?
The picture is different for households and businesses, and it’s important to know which applies to you.
Households
Openreach has confirmed there won’t be a sudden cut-off for residential customers who haven’t switched by 1 February 2027. Those who haven’t moved in time will be transferred to a very basic emergency service that keeps their phone working at a minimum level.
But this is a last resort, not a solution. Customers transferred to this emergency service who also have a broadband connection will lose it. The message from Openreach is clear: don’t rely on this. Get switched before January.
⚠ Important warning for businesses
Business customers don’t get the same safety net as households. If your business uses older dedicated phone lines for multiple extensions or data connections, your provider will discontinue them on 1 February 2027. There is no grace period. If you’re not sure what type of connection your business uses, contact your provider now.
It’s not just your phone. Check these too
The copper network carries more than voice calls. Before January 2027, it’s worth checking the following:
Burglar alarms and CCTV
Many older alarm systems use the copper phone line to communicate with a monitoring centre. If yours does, it will stop working after the switch-off unless it has been updated. Contact your alarm provider to ask what their plan is.
Card payment terminals
Some older card machines use the telephone line rather than broadband or mobile. It’s worth checking with your payment provider, especially if your terminal is several years old.
Telecare and personal alarm devices
Personal alarms that vulnerable or elderly people rely on have been a key concern throughout this process. If you or someone you care for uses one, flag this specifically with your provider and don’t leave it to a standard process.
Power cuts
Traditional copper landlines worked during power cuts because they carried their own current. Digital phone connections rely on your broadband router, which needs mains power. If you lose electricity, you lose your phone line too. Ask your provider about a battery backup unit if this concerns you.
Why this matters more in York city centre
York city centre has a higher proportion of older copper connections than most UK cities of its size. The historic nature of the city, with its listed buildings, ancient walls and complex underground infrastructure, has made it expensive and difficult for the big national providers to upgrade. So many have put it off.
That means more businesses and residents in the city centre are still on older connections that will need to change, and many won’t have been proactively contacted by their providers yet.
It’s also why we built Fastr. York city centre deserved a provider who was willing to do the work properly, and we’ve built a brand new full fibre network inside the city walls to give local businesses and residents a connection that’s ready for the next thirty years, not the last thirty.
| Not yet on Fastr? Switching takes about 20 minutes. We handle everything else, including notifying your old provider. Check if we cover your address |
Quick checklist: what to do before January 2027
Check whether your provider has been in touch about the switch-off. If not, contact them and ask what needs to happen.
- Find out if your landline currently plugs into a wall socket. If it does, ask your provider what you need to do before January.
- If you run a business with multiple phone lines or dedicated data connections, contact your provider urgently. These will stop on 1 February with no safety net.
- Check your burglar alarm. Ask your alarm company whether it uses the copper phone line and what their switchover plan is.
- Check your card payment terminal with your payment provider.
- If you or someone you care for uses a personal alarm or telecare device, flag this specifically with your provider.
- Ask your provider about a battery backup unit if you’re worried about losing your phone during a power cut.
- If you’re in York city centre and not yet on full fibre, check your address at fastrbroadband.co.uk. The switch-off is a good time to switch to a connection that won’t need replacing again.