Britain’s phone network is changing for good. By January 2027, the traditional network that carries landline calls, the Public Switched Telephone Network, or PSTN, will be switched off, and calls will move to digital, internet-based services instead.

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For many households and businesses, the change may feel invisible. For others, it could be anything but.

The UK has spent years expanding full fibre broadband, with coverage now reaching most of the country. Yet millions of people still rely on the older PSTN service and traditional landline phones, either because they have not upgraded yet or simply do not realise they need to.

That is where the real risk lies.

This is not just a telecoms upgrade. It is a nationwide readiness challenge. The technology may be available, but many people are still unclear about what the switch-off means for them, what action they need to take and how urgently they need to act.

The........

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