IT Support · 5 min read
PSTN switch-off checklist: what to check before 31 January 2027
Traditional phone lines go digital on 31 January 2027. A device-by-device checklist for businesses: alarms, lifts, card machines, door entry, fax and more.
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What we set up.
A phone system that runs in the apps your team already uses, from the people who run your IT.
Microsoft Teams Phone
Make and take calls in Teams on any computer or mobile, with your business numbers and call routing.
Webex for call centres
We set up Webex for teams that live on the phone, with call queues for busy lines.
Your numbers moved
Keep the numbers your customers already know. We move them across and handle the paperwork.
Handsets and headsets
Desk phones, conference phones and headsets for anyone who wants them, set up before they arrive.
Three ways to connect Teams to the phone network.
Teams Phone needs a route out to ordinary phone numbers. We set up whichever suits you and explain the running costs of each before you choose.
| How it works | Suits | |
|---|---|---|
| Calling Plan | Microsoft supplies your numbers and calls, added to your Microsoft 365 licences. | Small teams who want everything from Microsoft. |
| Operator Connect | A phone operator supplies the numbers and calls, linked to Teams from the admin centre. | Organisations that want an operator's call rates and support, with no hardware on site. |
| Direct Routing | Calls run through a session border controller, on your site or hosted by a provider, connected to Teams. | Complex setups: many sites, an existing phone system to keep, or unusual hardware. |
What else is on your phone lines.
Traditional phone lines go digital on 31 January 2027. The phones are the easy part. These are the devices that get missed.
Intruder and fire alarms
Many still call out over a phone line. Your alarm company moves the signalling.
Lift emergency phones
The phone in the lift car is often on its own line. Your lift contractor upgrades it.
Card machines
Older terminals dial out to take payments. Your payment provider swaps or reconfigures them.
Door entry
Intercoms at the front door or gate can use a phone line. We check them on survey.
Franking machines
Some top up credit over the phone line. The supplier moves them to broadband.
Fax
Old fax lines need a replacement, or a decision that nobody uses them.
CCTV and monitoring
Some systems send alerts by phone line. We move them to your network.
Telecare and health devices
Pendants and monitors for staff or residents need checking with their supplier first.
The date is Openreach's. Read its guidance for businesses.
How we move you across.
Audit
We list every number, every line and every device plugged into one.
Plan
You choose Teams or Webex and how calls reach the phone network, with a quote for each.
Move
We move your numbers, set up call routing and deliver handsets.
Switch
We move each line to digital once everything on it has moved and been tested.
Calls need a good connection.
Cloud calls run over your internet line, so we check it can carry them and add a backup connection where a dropped line would stop the phones.
Broadband and networkingPhone system questions.
Can we keep our phone numbers?
Yes, in almost every case. We move your existing numbers to Teams or Webex and handle the transfer.
Do we need desk phones?
No. Calls work in the Teams or Webex app on computers and mobiles, and we supply desk phones and headsets for anyone who wants them.
Calling Plan or Operator Connect: which do we need?
Operator Connect suits most organisations that want an operator's call rates and support. A Calling Plan suits small teams who want everything from Microsoft.
Will 999 calls still work?
Yes, while your internet and power are up. We set up emergency calling for each site and register its address, which Teams and Webex both need.
Teams or Webex: which is right for us?
Teams Phone, if you already use Microsoft 365. Webex suits call centres that need fuller queue and agent features.
Do you work outside Norfolk?
Yes. We set up phone systems for organisations anywhere in the UK.
Related insights.
Other services.
Get your phones onto digital lines.
Tell us how many numbers and lines you have, and what's plugged into them. We'll reply within one working day.