One million Britons risk losing their landline unless they switch to digital before the copper network shuts down in January

Openreach director James Lilley has warned that a surge in landline scams is making it harder to get customers to respond to letters about the switch, leaving a million people at risk of losing service entirely. The UK's copper-wire Public Switched Telephone Network, a system dating back to the 1870s, will be fully shut down on January 31, 2027.

Those who miss the deadline face losing all landline features — or being dropped to a bare emergency-only line with no voicemail.

Vulnerable users on telecare alarms are protected under a charter barring migration until their kit is confirmed compatible with digital lines.

Unlike digital lines, the old copper network keeps working in a power cut — BT is supplying free battery packs to cover that gap.