The UK’s Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) - the traditional analogue phone network - is being permanently retired and replaced with digital voice services delivered over broadband. The final national withdrawal is scheduled for January 2027, but the transition is already underway, with services being removed in phases across the country.
This is not a single, coordinated switch-off. Analogue services are being withdrawn incrementally and unevenly, driven by local exchange decisions and provider-specific timelines. There is no published regional schedule, which means buildings can be affected with limited notice.
For residential building owners and managing agents, this matters because many safety-critical communication systems still rely on analogue connectivity - particularly Emergency Call Systems (ECS) used in retirement and supported living schemes, and lift emergency phones. Where these systems are not identified and upgraded in time, they may appear operational while becoming increasingly unreliable - or fail altogether.
Why the PTSN Switch-Off is a Building Safety Issue
For many residents - particularly in retirement, supported living and later-living schemes — Emergency Call Systems are their primary route to help in an emergency. These include warden call systems, pull cords, pendant alarms and communal emergency phones. Many were installed to operate over analogue landlines and have never been reviewed or upgraded.
Lift emergency phones present a similar but often overlooked risk. In many buildings, the lift continues to operate normally and the emergency call button appears functional - but the call may no longer connect to a responder. This creates a high-impact risk that is typically only discovered during an actual emergency, when scrutiny and escalation are immediate.
Where multiple buildings are managed and different contractors handle lifts, ECS and telecoms separately, it is common for no single person to have a complete view of which systems are at risk. Responsibility for resident safety remains unchanged, but the technical infrastructure those systems depend on is being removed.
Does the Analogue Switch-Off Affect Your Buildings?
Analogue dependency often sits quietly across portfolios, particularly where systems were installed some time ago and connectivity has not been actively reviewed. You are likely affected if any of the following apply:
- You manage retirement, supported or later-living schemes.
- Emergency Call Systems were installed more than five to ten years ago.
- Lift emergency phones rely on fixed landlines.
- Lifts, ECS and telecoms are managed by different contractors.
- There is no single, up-to-date register of system connectivity across your portfolio.
If any of the above apply, analogue dependency should be assumed until proven otherwise.
Download Our Free Guide: 4 Steps for Managing Analogue-Digital Risk 
Our practical guide is designed to help portfolio owners and managing agents build visibility, focus effort where risk is greatest, and retain control through 2026. It covers:
Accountability for the Analogue-to-Digital Transition
Responsibility for safety-critical communication systems sits with the organisation in control of the building and its assets. For lift emergency phones, this is typically the lift owner or duty holder. For Emergency Call Systems, it is usually the housing provider or building owner responsible for resident safety.
Critically, while delivery of upgrades can be delegated to contractors and suppliers, accountability for system functionality cannot. Property managers and housing providers remain responsible even where third parties manage the day-to-day systems.
This is why having portfolio-level visibility and a structured delivery plan is essential - not just for compliance, but for protecting residents and managing organisational risk.
The Cost of Delay: Why Acting Now Is Critical
With the final national withdrawal scheduled for January 2027, 2026 is effectively the last full year to identify, assess and transition affected systems. But many organisations are still in the early stages of understanding their exposure.
Organisations that delay will find themselves:
- Reacting to failure under pressure rather than planning delivery.
- Facing limited availability from suitable providers and increasing costs.
- Making rushed decisions that increase disruption to residents.
- Discovering risk only when systems fail during an actual emergency.
- Identify higher-risk schemes and prioritise accordingly.
- Spread delivery over time to manage cost and disruption.
- Retain governance and control over the transition.
- Protect residents and demonstrate due diligence.
Organisations that act early can:
- Identify higher-risk schemes and prioritise accordingly.
- Spread delivery over time to manage cost and disruption.
- Retain governance and control over the transition.
- Protect residents and demonstrate due diligence.
About Innovus
Innovus delivers market-leading solutions and expertise to the UK’s property sector, with over 25 years of experience supporting residential property professionals. We are RICS-regulated and backed by Emeria, the world’s leading provider of real estate services and technologies.
Our services span Building Safety and Compliance, Surveying, Business Services and Asset Management. We manage over £320 million in assets and are trusted by FTSE100 companies, institutional investors, managing agents and housing providers.
