Digital Landline Switchover: Supporting Customers in Vulnerable Circumstances

2pm – 3.30pm 2 September 2026 Online

The telecoms industry's multi-year programme to move landline phone services from the old analogue network to digital connections is nearing completion (also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) migration, or Digital Phone Switchover). While most customers' lines have been successfully migrated, Communication Providers are now focused on reaching those who have not responded to requests to upgrade, particularly customers in vulnerable circumstances who disproportionately rely on their landline. In advance of Openreach's January 2027 deadline to close the PSTN, Communication Providers have been working hard to identify and migrate these remaining customers safely.

Since July 2026, Communication Providers have been working with a few select local authorities to pilot ways of identifying and migrating these customers, to prevent the potential risk of disconnection in 2027. Following this pilot programme, Communication Providers now intend to expand the programme nationwide, working with local authorities wherever customers in potentially vulnerable circumstances are still relying on their landline.

A key element of the pilot programme has been the creation of a new Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) between Communication Providers and Local Authorities, described and below. This has been central to sharing information on customers who may be in vulnerable circumstances, enabling Local Authorities to assess the risk to individuals in their area and work with Communication Providers on how best to engage and support these customers through migration.

With the support of the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), techUK is now bringing together the telecoms sector, government and local authorities to share the results of this pilot and prepare for the next phase of national engagement.

In this webinar you will hear directly from Communication Providers and Local Authorities, who will explain how collaboration with local authorities has supported these customers to migrate safely onto digital connections.

This event will cover the challenges of identifying and reaching customers in vulnerable circumstances, how Communication Providers and Local Authorities have worked together to address them, and the lessons learned for continuing this work effectively. We will then set aside time for an extended Q&A, giving attendees the chance to put their questions to those on the call.

This event will be held as an online webinar, to reach as wide an audience of local authorities as possible ahead of the next phase of national rollout.

Who should attend

This is a free-to-attend event for anyone interested in the digital switchover of landlines/PSTN switch-off, with a particular focus for those in the public sector, health and social care organisations, and techUK members.

Agenda

More details on the final agenda will be available in the coming weeks.

Perspectives on the challenges of identifying and reaching customers in vulnerable circumstances:

Presentation: Lucy Baker MBE, Digital Voice Consumer Program Director (BT)
Presentation: David Christie, Senior Regulatory Specialist (Virgin Media O2)
Presentation: Kassandrea Igbenabor, Digital Switchover Project Manager (Richmond and Wandsworth Councils)

Q&A

Joined by representatives from across the telecoms industry and local government, on hand to answer your questions, including BT/EE, VMO2, Openreach, Sky, VodafoneThree, and TalkTalk.

Expediting Local Authority Data Sharing

A key aim of this webinar is to support Local Authorities in signing the new Data Sharing Agreement (DSA), which the Local Authorities involved in the pilots have already signed. This DSA allows Communication Providers to share details of customers in vulnerable circumstances who have not yet migrated their landlines with their local authority that signs.

As part of registering for this webinar, attendees agree to being contacted and sent the DSA ahead of the session. You're welcome to sign the DSA at any point before the webinar, and/or join us on the day to find out more about the programme and ask any questions before signing.

For more information on the national digital phone switchover, please visit the digital phone switchover website at: https://digitalphoneswitchover.com/

For more information on this event, please contact the team below.

Meet the Team

Frederik van Randwyck

Head of Telecoms Modernisation, techUK

Telecoms Programme activities

techUK brings together government, the regulator, telecom companies and stakeholders to help the UK maximise the benefits of adopting advanced communications services. We ensure our members have a clear understanding of market developments, customer requirements, and government priorities. Visit the programme page here.