If the PSTN switch-off feels like something you've been hearing about for years, that's because it is. The original end-of-2025 timetable changed, and BT announced a revised programme in May 2024. BT's timetable announcement
It's understandable if the subject has slipped down the list. But with 31st January 2027 now approaching, it's worth taking a fresh look at what's actually been done - and what remains outstanding or unclear.
The question for a business isn't simply whether someone has bought a new phone system. It's whether every service that still depends on the old network has been accounted for. Openreach's current deadline
A phone replacement project has a clear focus: people need to make and receive calls. Separate connections can have different owners, suppliers and billing arrangements. They may never have been part of that project.
Consider a business with a main office and several smaller sites. The office might have moved to cloud calling while a separate line at another location still serves a piece of equipment such as an alarm system, or an emergency lift phone line.
IT may know the calling platform. Facilities may manage the alarm supplier. Finance may have the clearest record of which lines are still being paid for. Bringing those views together is more useful than asking one team whether the business is “ready”.
You don't have to assume that every old-looking device needs replacing. Start by finding out how it's connected and asking the supplier what needs to happen.
For each service, aim to establish one of three things: it no longer relies on PSTN; an alternative has been agreed and tested; or there is still work to do, with a named owner and next step.
“We think it's covered” doesn't give the person responsible much to work with. A supplier confirmation or test result does.
The same applies to a line nobody recognises. Cancelling it may seem sensible, but first establish what uses it and who relies on it. A small recurring charge tells you little about the importance of the service behind it.
There may be a wider opportunity to improve business communications. A different calling service could better suit staff who work across locations. A network review could uncover performance problems worth addressing. Some businesses may benefit from replacing ageing hardware.
Those decisions should follow the requirements. The shutdown alone doesn't establish that you need a complete replacement of your communications or network.
At TIEVA, we'd start by understanding what you have, what still needs to change and what the business needs from the replacement. That helps separate essential migration work from improvements you may want to consider alongside it.
An order confirmation isn't the same as a working service. Your plan needs to cover what happens after installation: can callers reach the right people, have the required numbers moved and has connected equipment been checked by the appropriate supplier?
It also needs to consider interruptions. Digital calling depends on powered equipment and connectivity, so backup arrangements should reflect the calls and services your business needs to maintain. BT's guidance on power and broadband failures
If there are still unknowns, bring them into the conversation now. TIEVA can help you explore calling and connectivity options, assess the network and discuss migration support. Start with the gaps in your plan; we'll work from there.