The digital switch is already taking place across the UK.
The digital switch refers to the ongoing changes to the UK telecoms network in which fibre lines are being rolled out across the country to replace copper lines.
This means the end of analogue (PSTN and ISDN) telephone services and the transition to fibre optic lines. While this is great news for internet speed, the digital switch will have a huge impact on key safety devices that will no longer be supported, including lift emergency phones.
Read more about the digital switch in our full guide which discusses the transition from analogue to fibre.
We are proud to support the Fit to Switch campaign as a National Champion Sponsor, and are committed to raising awareness about the PSTN switch-off and its imminent impact on critical lift emergency communications.
The Digital Switch and Lift Alarms | Official DSIT Guidance
The UK is preparing for the retirement of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which will be fully switched off by January 2027. This change affects all services that currently rely on analogue phone lines, including lift emergency alarm systems.
To support building owners, facility managers, and the lift industry, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), in collaboration with the Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA), has released an official letter with impartial guidance on the transition.
AVIRE solutions for the Digital Transition
Whether you’re protecting current lift lines through the transition with a managed service such as SENTINEL, or progressing to a full digital communications platform for long-term resilience, AVIRE’s approach ensures continuous, compliant two-way voice coverage across all critical lift locations.
Ensure resilience of emergency telephones in lifts
The change from copper to fibre lines will affect the resilience of lift emergency phone lines – particularly during power failures, which is the most likely time when an entrapment may occur. Discover UK’s only pro-actively managed, resilient lift emergency connection service: SENTINEL.
Upgrade lift communications for the digital transition
As copper networks are withdrawn, lift emergency systems must move to digital connectivity to remain operational and compliant. Discover AVIRE’s fully digital lift communication solution, providing resilient voice coverage to the lift car, pit, top of car and machine room without reliance on analogue lines.
Navigating the digital switch over
Tobias, a Telecommunications Engineer, sees the risks of the switch-off, so he’s offering reliable digital services to keep customers connected.
Bridgette, a Building Portfolio Manager, recognises the compliance challenges, so she’s ensuring her lifts stay safe and digitally connected.
Liam, a Lift Service Technician, knows analogue systems are becoming obsolete, so he’s upgrading to secure digital solutions.
Analogue Switch Off in the UK
FAQs
The Digital Switch is the UK-wide transition from analogue copper telephone networks (PSTN/ISDN) to digital, IP-based services delivered over fibre. The legacy analogue network is being permanently withdrawn.
The PSTN network is scheduled to be fully retired by January 2027, with regional migrations already underway. Service providers are progressively moving customers to digital alternatives.
Yes. Lift emergency telephones that rely on analogue lines may stop functioning reliably once those lines are withdrawn or converted to digital services without proper compatibility measures.
Traditional copper lines carried their own power from the exchange. Digital fibre services do not, meaning additional resilience measures are required to maintain lift emergency communications during power failures.
In many cases, yes. To maintain safe and compliant two-way emergency communication, analogue systems must either be protected with resilient connectivity services or upgraded to fully digital communication platforms.
Many sites choose to combine both approaches, using managed resilient connectivity to ensure continuity during transition, while implementing fully digital lift communication systems for long-term reliability and compliance.
