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 look after.
One supplier for the line, the kit and the support, so one team fixes it when something stops.
Broadband and leased lines
Get full fibre broadband, or a leased line for sites that can't go offline, ordered and set up by us.
Backup connections
Keep working when the main line fails, with a 4G, 5G or Starlink connection that takes over on its own.
Firewalls
We install and manage firewalls from Fortinet, WatchGuard, Sophos and Cisco Meraki.
Switches and Wi-Fi
Ubiquiti UniFi and Cisco Meraki switches and Wi-Fi, with guests kept off your own network.
Which connection do I need?
It depends on what's available at your address and what a day offline would cost you. We check both before we recommend anything.
| What it is | Suits | Watch out for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full fibre broadband | Fibre all the way into your building. | Most offices, where it's available at your address. | It's a shared service, so speeds can dip at busy times. |
| Leased line | A dedicated fibre line for your site alone, with the same speed up and down. | Teams that can't work without the internet, or move large files all day. | It costs more, and installation can take a few months. |
| 4G or 5G | A mobile data connection through a router on site. | A backup for your main line, or a quick start in a new office. | It depends on the mobile signal at your building. |
| Satellite (Starlink) | A dish on your roof connected to low-orbit satellites. | Rural sites with no fibre, or a backup that shares no cables with your main line. | It needs a clear view of the sky, and speeds can vary. |
| Two lines together | Your main line plus a backup on a different network. | Anyone who can't afford a day offline. | The backup needs a different route into the building, or one fault can take out both. |
Failover that works.
A backup line only helps if something switches to it. This is how we set it up.
Two lines, two routes
A main line and a backup that reach your building a different way, such as fibre plus 5G or Starlink.
A firewall watching both
It checks each line and moves traffic to the backup within seconds when the main line drops.
Your team keeps working
Teams calls and meetings reconnect on the backup while the main line is repaired.
Business Wi-Fi installation.
Wi-Fi that reaches every desk, planned from a survey, on Ubiquiti UniFi or Cisco Meraki.
Survey and heatmap
We survey the building and map the signal before anything is fitted, so you see where coverage drops.
Access points placed
We plan and fit each access point for even coverage, including meeting rooms and the far corners.
A separate guest network
Guests get their own Wi-Fi, kept off your staff devices and files.
Managed afterwards
We manage it centrally once it's in: updates, changes and faults through our service desk.
How it works.
Survey
We check what's available at your address and how your team uses the internet.
Recommend
You get a written recommendation for lines and network kit, with a quote.
Install
Our engineers install the line, firewall, switches and Wi-Fi, then test them.
Manage
We look after it day to day and chase the carrier when you report a fault.
Broadband and networking questions.
How long does a leased line take to install?
Often a few months, because the carrier may need to dig or get your landlord's permission. Order it early if you're moving office.
Do we need a backup connection?
If a day offline would stop your work, yes. A 4G or 5G backup takes over on its own while the main line is repaired.
Which firewall and Wi-Fi brands do you support?
Fortinet, WatchGuard, Sophos and Cisco Meraki firewalls, and Ubiquiti UniFi and Cisco Meraki switches and Wi-Fi.
Will the phone switch-off affect our broadband?
It can. Traditional phone lines go digital on 31 January 2027, so we check what runs over each of your lines before then.
Do you install outside Norfolk?
Yes. We install and support connections and networks anywhere in the UK.
Do you install Starlink for businesses?
Yes, anywhere in the UK. It works as the main connection for rural sites, or as a backup that doesn't share any cables with your main line.
Is guest Wi-Fi kept separate?
Yes. Guests get their own network, kept apart from your staff, devices and files.
Related insights.
Other services.
Find the right connection for your site.
Send us your address, how many people work there and what you have now. We'll reply within one working day.