Birmingham is preparing for a major change in landline phone service, with almost 38,000 traditional copper phone lines needing to switch to a new digital system by January 2027. The city’s remaining analogue lines risk becoming obsolete within months, as the ageing copper network is scheduled to be deactivated.
BT’s Openreach network has confirmed that from 31 January next year, customers who have not converted to the digital system may experience limited service. They may be moved to the Emergency Voice and Access Continuity service, which is a temporary voice-only arrangement supporting basic calls but lacking many features currently enjoyed.
The transition to Digital Voice, which operates over broadband, aims to modernise telephone services by improving call clarity and enabling features such as call diversion, three-way calling and stronger protection against nuisance calls. BT has emphasised that there is no additional cost for the digital service.
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Despite ongoing alerts from BT and other providers, hundreds of thousands of copper lines across the UK remain active. Research by Phonely, using recent Openreach data, highlights that over 637,000 lines in the ten largest cities are yet to be switched, with Birmingham accounting for 37,825.
The cities with the highest numbers of remaining copper lines include:
- London: 235,934
- Leeds: 62,411
- Manchester: 55,961
- Sheffield: 51,870
- Bristol: 43,775
- Liverpool: 42,351
- Edinburgh: 39,132
- Cardiff: 37,959
- Birmingham: 37,825
- Glasgow: 30,653
Bryn Thompson, Director at Phonely, urged customers to prepare ahead. He noted that many households will find the switch straightforward and often can keep their existing phone number without needing a new handset. He also recommended checking with relatives who rely heavily on home phones, especially if they use equipment like personal alarms connected to their line.
To prepare for the switchover, households should:
- Confirm whether their phone service has already been converted to digital.
- Check if their current handsets are compatible with Digital Voice.
- Verify if they can keep their existing phone numbers.
- Ensure any connected devices, such as telecare equipment, will continue to work.
- Understand the impact during power outages, since Digital Voice relies on electricity, unlike traditional copper lines.
Customers are advised to contact their providers soon to understand the steps needed to ensure continuous phone service before the copper lines are deactivated.