Yes, the PSTN is still used in 2026, but it now carries a small and shrinking share of voice traffic and is being deliberately shut down in most developed markets. In the United States, the count of traditional switched access lines that make up the PSTN fell from about 181 million in 2003 to roughly 15 million by mid-2025, while interconnected VoIP grew to about 63 million subscriptions [3]. The United Kingdom plans to retire its PSTN entirely by 31 January 2027, and roughly two thirds of UK landlines have already moved to digital voice [1][2]. Some national networks, including Germany's and Australia's, have already completed or nearly completed the move to all-IP [6][7]. So the honest answer is that the PSTN still works and still carries live calls, yet it is a legacy network in a managed retirement rather than something being newly deployed [4].
\n","summary":"The PSTN has not disappeared, but it is a legacy network in active shutdown. US switched access lines fell from about 181 million in 2003 to roughly 15 million by mid-2025, the UK is retiring its PSTN by 31 January 2027, and Germany and Australia have largely finished moving to all-IP. Regulators cite ageing hardware and a lack of spare parts as the reason the old network is being closed rather than maintained.","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T15:32:01.287","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","editorialStatus":"APPROVED","lastReviewedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","nextReviewDueAt":"2026-10-18T00:00:00","templateVersion":"v2","aliases":["Is the PSTN still in use?","Is the public switched telephone network still around?","Do people still use PSTN lines?","Is PSTN being phased out?","Is the PSTN dead?","Is the landline network still used?","When is the PSTN being switched off?","Is copper telephone service still available?","Is PSTN obsolete in 2026?","Are traditional phone lines still used?","Is the PSTN still operational?","How much is the PSTN still used today?"],"confidenceScore":88,"confidenceLabel":"High","canonicalUrl":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"contributorOrganizationProfile":{"entityId":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","legalName":null,"description":null,"websiteUrl":null,"imageUrl":null,"slogan":null,"subtitle":null,"facts":[],"coiNote":null,"foundingDate":null,"numberOfEmployeesText":null,"contactPoint":null,"address":null,"headquartersText":null,"organizationType":null},"contributorPerson":{"slug":"answerstack-editorial-team","displayName":"AnswerStack Editorial Team"},"sections":[{"id":"c0c98bfa-d5f3-4a01-9084-26046bb0ee7b","sectionKey":"where_pstn_stands","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Where PSTN stands in 2026","introMarkdown":"The public switched telephone network still operates in 2026, and calls still travel across it, but it now handles a small and falling share of the world's voice traffic and is being retired on a set timetable in most developed countries [1][3]. Two things are true at the same time. The network works, so a traditional analog line in a home or a business can still make and receive calls today. Meanwhile, the companies that own these networks and the regulators that oversee them agree that the underlying circuit-switched technology has reached the end of its serviceable life, so they are moving customers onto internet-based voice instead [1].\n\nThe direction of travel is easiest to see in the numbers. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission counted about 181 million traditional switched access lines, the circuit-switched connections that make up the PSTN, at the end of 2003. By the middle of 2025 that figure had dropped to roughly 15 million, while interconnected VoIP had grown to about 63 million subscriptions [3]. Regulators are candid about why the old network is closing rather than being repaired. The UK government points to ageing hardware and a shortage of spare parts, noting that suppliers no longer manufacture the components these exchanges depend on, and that Ofcom recorded a 45 percent rise in reported PSTN faults during 2024 [1].\n\n### What \"still used\" actually means\n\nWhether the PSTN counts as \"still used\" depends on where you are and what you are counting. Measured by active lines, it remains in service for millions of homes and businesses, particularly for alarm panels and lift phones, and in rural areas that have been slower to move [1][9]. Measured by direction, it is a network in managed shutdown, because every large operator with a public timetable is closing it rather than expanding it, and several have already finished [2][6][7].","introHtml":"The public switched telephone network still operates in 2026, and calls still travel across it, but it now handles a small and falling share of the world's voice traffic and is being retired on a set timetable in most developed countries [1][3]. Two things are true at the same time. The network works, so a traditional analog line in a home or a business can still make and receive calls today. Meanwhile, the companies that own these networks and the regulators that oversee them agree that the underlying circuit-switched technology has reached the end of its serviceable life, so they are moving customers onto internet-based voice instead [1].
\nThe direction of travel is easiest to see in the numbers. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission counted about 181 million traditional switched access lines, the circuit-switched connections that make up the PSTN, at the end of 2003. By the middle of 2025 that figure had dropped to roughly 15 million, while interconnected VoIP had grown to about 63 million subscriptions [3]. Regulators are candid about why the old network is closing rather than being repaired. The UK government points to ageing hardware and a shortage of spare parts, noting that suppliers no longer manufacture the components these exchanges depend on, and that Ofcom recorded a 45 percent rise in reported PSTN faults during 2024 [1].
\nWhether the PSTN counts as "still used" depends on where you are and what you are counting. Measured by active lines, it remains in service for millions of homes and businesses, particularly for alarm panels and lift phones, and in rural areas that have been slower to move [1][9]. Measured by direction, it is a network in managed shutdown, because every large operator with a public timetable is closing it rather than expanding it, and several have already finished [2][6][7].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":0},{"id":"299ea0fb-13f6-401d-9d09-8fd5f416f353","sectionKey":"global_status_table","sectionType":"table_section","heading":"How much is the PSTN still used, and where is it being retired?","introMarkdown":"The picture varies by country, but the pattern is consistent: incumbents are closing the PSTN on published deadlines, and some have already switched it off. The table summarizes where the largest markets stand as of mid-2026, and the sections below explain each in turn.","introHtml":"The picture varies by country, but the pattern is consistent: incumbents are closing the PSTN on published deadlines, and some have already switched it off. The table summarizes where the largest markets stand as of mid-2026, and the sections below explain each in turn.
\n","outroMarkdown":"Each market's timing reflects local policy and network readiness, so the sections that follow give the specifics rather than a single global date.","outroHtml":"Each market's timing reflects local policy and network readiness, so the sections that follow give the specifics rather than a single global date.
\n","contentJson":{"rows":[{"cells":["United States","In managed retirement; copper and TDM voice discontinued carrier by carrier","No single national date; FCC removed approval barriers in March 2026","[3][4]"]},{"cells":["United Kingdom","Active shutdown; about two thirds of lines already on digital voice","Full switch-off by 31 January 2027","[1][2]"]},{"cells":["Europe (Germany, Netherlands, Estonia)","Several incumbents already all-IP; Deutsche Telekom migration essentially complete","Germany reached about 99 percent of customers by 2020","[6][8]"]},{"cells":["Australia","Copper PSTN disconnected area by area through the NBN migration","Legacy fixed-line services disconnected once an area moves to the NBN","[7]"]}],"columns":["Market","Status of the PSTN","Target or milestone","Source"]},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":1},{"id":"f831978d-a65d-4487-bb16-49b8c7279eb0","sectionKey":"united_states","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"United States: copper and TDM voice in managed retirement","introMarkdown":"The PSTN is still in service across the United States, but the traditional network is shrinking quickly and carriers are now actively closing it. Federal Communications Commission data shows traditional switched access lines falling from about 181 million at the end of 2003 to roughly 15 million by mid-2025, while interconnected VoIP reached about 63 million subscriptions over the same period [3]. Put another way, VoIP now accounts for the large majority of fixed voice connections, and the circuit-switched PSTN carries what is left [3]. Major carriers have already retired tens of millions of copper lines, and the ones that remain are being phased out region by region [3][9].\n\nThere is no single national switch-off date in the United States. Instead, the change is happening through carrier filings and a lighter regulatory process. In March 2026 the FCC adopted its Network and Services Modernization Order, which removed federal approval steps that carriers previously had to clear before retiring copper and discontinuing legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) voice service [4]. The practical effect is that shutdowns can move faster and with less notice than under the old process.\n\nIndividual applications show the scale. In May 2026, AT&T asked the FCC for authority to discontinue legacy TDM voice service for about 184,000 residential and 15,000 business customers across 360 California wire centers, with disconnection proposed on or after 1 June 2027 [5]. If you still run analog lines for alarms, elevators, or fax, the useful step is to confirm your carrier's retirement schedule for your specific exchange rather than assume a line will stay available [9].","introHtml":"The PSTN is still in service across the United States, but the traditional network is shrinking quickly and carriers are now actively closing it. Federal Communications Commission data shows traditional switched access lines falling from about 181 million at the end of 2003 to roughly 15 million by mid-2025, while interconnected VoIP reached about 63 million subscriptions over the same period [3]. Put another way, VoIP now accounts for the large majority of fixed voice connections, and the circuit-switched PSTN carries what is left [3]. Major carriers have already retired tens of millions of copper lines, and the ones that remain are being phased out region by region [3][9].
\nThere is no single national switch-off date in the United States. Instead, the change is happening through carrier filings and a lighter regulatory process. In March 2026 the FCC adopted its Network and Services Modernization Order, which removed federal approval steps that carriers previously had to clear before retiring copper and discontinuing legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) voice service [4]. The practical effect is that shutdowns can move faster and with less notice than under the old process.
\nIndividual applications show the scale. In May 2026, AT&T asked the FCC for authority to discontinue legacy TDM voice service for about 184,000 residential and 15,000 business customers across 360 California wire centers, with disconnection proposed on or after 1 June 2027 [5]. If you still run analog lines for alarms, elevators, or fax, the useful step is to confirm your carrier's retirement schedule for your specific exchange rather than assume a line will stay available [9].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":2},{"id":"de8ee2b0-9583-4359-9300-608aebd62d03","sectionKey":"united_kingdom","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"United Kingdom: a switch-off date of 31 January 2027","introMarkdown":"The United Kingdom has set a firm end date for its PSTN: 31 January 2027, when BT Group retires the network and remaining analog phone services stop working [2]. The migration is industry-led, with communications providers moving customers onto digital voice that runs over broadband, and the government coordinating protections rather than running the switch itself [1]. Progress is already well advanced, since over two thirds of UK landlines had moved to digital voice by 2025 according to the government's guidance [1].\n\nThe reasons given are practical rather than commercial. The government describes the PSTN as having reached the end of its serviceable life, failing because suppliers no longer make the spare parts the old exchanges need, and it notes that Ofcom recorded a 45 percent rise in reported PSTN incidents during 2024 [1]. Openreach, which runs the physical network, reported in early 2026 that about 2.8 million lines still needed to migrate, more than half a million of them serving business premises [2].\n\nTo push the remaining lines across, Openreach is raising the price of legacy PSTN products through 2026, with increases in April, July, and October that together roughly double rental costs compared with 2025 rates [2]. Vulnerable and telecare users get specific handling: no telecare user is moved without a confirmed working solution in place, providers offer battery backup and engineer visits, and Openreach runs a 'Prove Telecare' service to migrate fixed-line alarm users safely [1][2].","introHtml":"The United Kingdom has set a firm end date for its PSTN: 31 January 2027, when BT Group retires the network and remaining analog phone services stop working [2]. The migration is industry-led, with communications providers moving customers onto digital voice that runs over broadband, and the government coordinating protections rather than running the switch itself [1]. Progress is already well advanced, since over two thirds of UK landlines had moved to digital voice by 2025 according to the government's guidance [1].
\nThe reasons given are practical rather than commercial. The government describes the PSTN as having reached the end of its serviceable life, failing because suppliers no longer make the spare parts the old exchanges need, and it notes that Ofcom recorded a 45 percent rise in reported PSTN incidents during 2024 [1]. Openreach, which runs the physical network, reported in early 2026 that about 2.8 million lines still needed to migrate, more than half a million of them serving business premises [2].
\nTo push the remaining lines across, Openreach is raising the price of legacy PSTN products through 2026, with increases in April, July, and October that together roughly double rental costs compared with 2025 rates [2]. Vulnerable and telecare users get specific handling: no telecare user is moved without a confirmed working solution in place, providers offer battery backup and engineer visits, and Openreach runs a 'Prove Telecare' service to migrate fixed-line alarm users safely [1][2].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":3},{"id":"de65cb5a-fa2d-46e0-8387-ec5a287d57e8","sectionKey":"europe","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Europe: several networks are already all-IP","introMarkdown":"Parts of Europe finished retiring the PSTN years ago, which makes the region a preview of where others are heading. Germany is the clearest large example. Deutsche Telekom declared its all-IP migration essentially complete in early 2020, having moved about 99 percent of its roughly 25 million fixed-line customers off the old switched network and onto IP [6]. The company described the effort as switching customers over while keeping service running the whole time, a reminder that a national cutover takes years of preparation rather than a single overnight event [6].\n\nGermany is not alone. Independent research on Europe's copper switch-off programs documents incumbents in several countries retiring their legacy networks well ahead of the United Kingdom, with smaller markets such as Estonia among the earliest to close copper entirely [8]. The Netherlands is often grouped with them, having moved its incumbent network to IP over roughly the same period [8].\n\nEurope also shows the end state directly: in more than one developed country the public switched network has already been switched off, and voice now runs over IP [6][8]. The equipment did not stop working on its own, so operators chose to close the old network because maintaining two parallel systems no longer made sense [6].","introHtml":"Parts of Europe finished retiring the PSTN years ago, which makes the region a preview of where others are heading. Germany is the clearest large example. Deutsche Telekom declared its all-IP migration essentially complete in early 2020, having moved about 99 percent of its roughly 25 million fixed-line customers off the old switched network and onto IP [6]. The company described the effort as switching customers over while keeping service running the whole time, a reminder that a national cutover takes years of preparation rather than a single overnight event [6].
\nGermany is not alone. Independent research on Europe's copper switch-off programs documents incumbents in several countries retiring their legacy networks well ahead of the United Kingdom, with smaller markets such as Estonia among the earliest to close copper entirely [8]. The Netherlands is often grouped with them, having moved its incumbent network to IP over roughly the same period [8].
\nEurope also shows the end state directly: in more than one developed country the public switched network has already been switched off, and voice now runs over IP [6][8]. The equipment did not stop working on its own, so operators chose to close the old network because maintaining two parallel systems no longer made sense [6].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":4},{"id":"97d0ac77-0c73-4ebc-a48c-840ce2456a4b","sectionKey":"australia","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Australia: the PSTN retired through the NBN migration","introMarkdown":"Australia has been closing its copper PSTN through the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN), rather than through a single announced switch-off day. As each area is connected to the NBN, the legacy fixed-line phone and internet services that ran over Telstra's copper are disconnected on a set date, after which those lines no longer carry calls or data unless the premises moves to NBN-supplied equipment [7].\n\nThe list of services being switched off is broad. It covers Telstra home and landline phone services, phone and internet services from other providers that used the copper network, and older broadband products such as ADSL and cable [7]. Because the disconnection is tied to the NBN build rather than to a national calendar date, the timing has varied by address, and NBN advises customers to check their specific disconnection date with their provider [7].\n\nThe result is that most of Australia's traditional copper telephony has already been retired, and new PSTN connections are generally no longer available where the NBN has taken over [7].","introHtml":"Australia has been closing its copper PSTN through the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN), rather than through a single announced switch-off day. As each area is connected to the NBN, the legacy fixed-line phone and internet services that ran over Telstra's copper are disconnected on a set date, after which those lines no longer carry calls or data unless the premises moves to NBN-supplied equipment [7].
\nThe list of services being switched off is broad. It covers Telstra home and landline phone services, phone and internet services from other providers that used the copper network, and older broadband products such as ADSL and cable [7]. Because the disconnection is tied to the NBN build rather than to a national calendar date, the timing has varied by address, and NBN advises customers to check their specific disconnection date with their provider [7].
\nThe result is that most of Australia's traditional copper telephony has already been retired, and new PSTN connections are generally no longer available where the NBN has taken over [7].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":5},{"id":"fa574f2d-b839-4626-9a4a-047fa53bd4bb","sectionKey":"why_still_around","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Why is the PSTN still around at all?","introMarkdown":"The PSTN survives in pockets because millions of lines still do a specific job that has been awkward or costly to move, and because a national network cannot be switched off all at once without stranding people who depend on it. The largest single reason is embedded equipment. Fire alarm panels, lift emergency phones, gate intercoms, security and monitoring systems, and some medical alert and telecare devices were designed for analog lines and often keep working on them long after voice calls have moved to VoIP [9]. Replacing that equipment takes budget, site access, and in some cases recertification, so building owners tend to keep the copper until they are forced to act [9].\n\nA second reason is people who rely on the line for safety. Regulators have slowed migrations specifically to protect telecare and vulnerable users, which is why the UK paused its program more than once and built extra checks before moving those customers [1]. Rural and remote premises add another factor, since areas with weaker broadband or mobile coverage have been slower to gain a like-for-like replacement [1].\n\nNone of this changes the overall direction, because the count of traditional lines keeps falling and the remaining users are being migrated rather than left in place; the tail is simply long enough that the PSTN will still carry real traffic for a few more years in most markets [3].","introHtml":"The PSTN survives in pockets because millions of lines still do a specific job that has been awkward or costly to move, and because a national network cannot be switched off all at once without stranding people who depend on it. The largest single reason is embedded equipment. Fire alarm panels, lift emergency phones, gate intercoms, security and monitoring systems, and some medical alert and telecare devices were designed for analog lines and often keep working on them long after voice calls have moved to VoIP [9]. Replacing that equipment takes budget, site access, and in some cases recertification, so building owners tend to keep the copper until they are forced to act [9].
\nA second reason is people who rely on the line for safety. Regulators have slowed migrations specifically to protect telecare and vulnerable users, which is why the UK paused its program more than once and built extra checks before moving those customers [1]. Rural and remote premises add another factor, since areas with weaker broadband or mobile coverage have been slower to gain a like-for-like replacement [1].
\nNone of this changes the overall direction, because the count of traditional lines keeps falling and the remaining users are being migrated rather than left in place; the tail is simply long enough that the PSTN will still carry real traffic for a few more years in most markets [3].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":6},{"id":"25199da1-422c-4899-8702-dcb6c5fa3a67","sectionKey":"what_to_watch","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"What to watch if you still rely on the PSTN","introMarkdown":"The main risk is timing, because the PSTN can stop being available at your location with less warning than it used to. In the United States, the March 2026 FCC order reduced the notice and approval steps carriers must complete before retiring copper, so a discontinuation can now move faster than under the old process [4]. Concrete filings are already in progress, and AT&T's California application alone covers roughly 199,000 customers with a proposed cut-off from June 2027 [5]. If you hold analog lines, the practical response is to find out your carrier's plan for your exchange rather than wait for a shut-off notice.\n\nCost is the second issue. Where a hard deadline exists, incumbents tend to raise legacy-line prices to encourage migration, as Openreach is doing in the UK with increases across 2026 that roughly double rental costs versus 2025 [2]. Keeping an old line often becomes more expensive than replacing it.\n\nPower and resilience deserve attention too. A traditional analog line drew power from the exchange and kept working in a blackout, whereas IP voice depends on local power and broadband, so regulators now require backup arrangements. In the UK, providers must ensure at least one hour of access to emergency services during a power cut, with extra support for those who need it [1]. If you run alarms, lifts, or telecare on the line, confirm the replacement handles those devices before the copper is removed [1].","introHtml":"The main risk is timing, because the PSTN can stop being available at your location with less warning than it used to. In the United States, the March 2026 FCC order reduced the notice and approval steps carriers must complete before retiring copper, so a discontinuation can now move faster than under the old process [4]. Concrete filings are already in progress, and AT&T's California application alone covers roughly 199,000 customers with a proposed cut-off from June 2027 [5]. If you hold analog lines, the practical response is to find out your carrier's plan for your exchange rather than wait for a shut-off notice.
\nCost is the second issue. Where a hard deadline exists, incumbents tend to raise legacy-line prices to encourage migration, as Openreach is doing in the UK with increases across 2026 that roughly double rental costs versus 2025 [2]. Keeping an old line often becomes more expensive than replacing it.
\nPower and resilience deserve attention too. A traditional analog line drew power from the exchange and kept working in a blackout, whereas IP voice depends on local power and broadband, so regulators now require backup arrangements. In the UK, providers must ensure at least one hour of access to emergency services during a power cut, with extra support for those who need it [1]. If you run alarms, lifts, or telecare on the line, confirm the replacement handles those devices before the copper is removed [1].
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":7},{"id":"91f10b73-9b5e-4bf9-baa6-e7f7837e44eb","sectionKey":"contributor_perspective","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"How this answer was researched","introMarkdown":"This answer was compiled from primary regulatory and carrier sources rather than vendor marketing. The status figures come from the FCC's Voice Telephone Services report and its March 2026 modernization order in the United States, the UK government's landline migration guidance and Openreach's own network updates in the United Kingdom, national operator statements for Germany and Australia, and independent research on Europe's copper switch-off programs. Every date and figure was checked against those sources on 18 July 2026, and the review date reflects how quickly these timelines can move, since the UK deadline has already shifted once and several US carrier applications are still pending. Practitioners who manage large-scale PSTN migrations, telecare compatibility, or copper-to-IP cutovers are welcome to suggest corrections or add field detail so the answer stays accurate as the remaining networks close.","introHtml":"This answer was compiled from primary regulatory and carrier sources rather than vendor marketing. The status figures come from the FCC's Voice Telephone Services report and its March 2026 modernization order in the United States, the UK government's landline migration guidance and Openreach's own network updates in the United Kingdom, national operator statements for Germany and Australia, and independent research on Europe's copper switch-off programs. Every date and figure was checked against those sources on 18 July 2026, and the review date reflects how quickly these timelines can move, since the UK deadline has already shifted once and several US carrier applications are still pending. Practitioners who manage large-scale PSTN migrations, telecare compatibility, or copper-to-IP cutovers are welcome to suggest corrections or add field detail so the answer stays accurate as the remaining networks close.
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":"This answer was written and reviewed by the AnswerStack Editorial Team, which has no commercial stake in the products, companies, or methods discussed. Every claim is cited inline and verified on the dates shown.","noteHtml":"This answer was written and reviewed by the AnswerStack Editorial Team, which has no commercial stake in the products, companies, or methods discussed. Every claim is cited inline and verified on the dates shown.
\n","sortOrder":8}],"citations":[{"title":"Moving landlines to digital technologies","url":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-landlines-to-digital-technologies","excerpt":"The PSTN is failing due to lack of parts","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"UK migration is industry-led; PSTN at end of serviceable life due to lack of spare parts; Ofcom recorded a 45 percent rise in PSTN incidents in 2024; over two thirds of UK landlines already on digital voice; January 2027 target; telecare and power-cut protections.","domain":"gov.uk","publisherName":"UK Government (GOV.UK)"},{"title":"Time for a big switch-up as PSTN switch-off looms","url":"https://www.openreach.com/news/time-for-a-big-switch-up-as-pstn-switch-off-looms/","excerpt":"BT Group will retire the PSTN network by 31st January 2027","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"BT Group retires the PSTN by 31 January 2027; about 2.8 million lines still to migrate with more than half a million business premises; 2026 price rises roughly double rental costs; Prove Telecare service for fixed-line alarm users.","domain":"openreach.com","publisherName":"Openreach"},{"title":"Voice Telephone Services: Status as of June 30, 2025","url":"https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-421558A1.pdf","excerpt":null,"quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"US traditional switched access lines fell from about 181 million (2003) to roughly 15 million (mid-2025); interconnected VoIP about 63 million subscriptions; VoIP is the majority of fixed voice connections.","domain":"docs.fcc.gov","publisherName":"Federal Communications Commission"},{"title":"Network and Services Modernization Order (Fact Sheet)","url":"https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-419252A1.pdf","excerpt":null,"quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"In March 2026 the FCC adopted an order removing federal approval steps carriers previously had to clear before retiring copper and discontinuing legacy TDM voice service, allowing faster shutdowns.","domain":"docs.fcc.gov","publisherName":"Federal Communications Commission"},{"title":"Federal Applications to Discontinue Landline Voice Service","url":"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/internet-and-phone/att-colr-etc-proceedings/federal-applications-to-discontinue-landline-voice-service","excerpt":"On May 20, 2026, AT&T issued applications to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to discontinue its legacy voice service","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"In May 2026 AT&T filed FCC applications to discontinue legacy TDM voice service for about 184,000 residential and 15,000 business customers across 360 California wire centers, with disconnection proposed on or after 1 June 2027.","domain":"cpuc.ca.gov","publisherName":"California Public Utilities Commission"},{"title":"Deutsche Telekom's IP migration 'like changing tyres at full speed'","url":"https://www.telecomtv.com/content/broadband/deutsche-telekoms-ip-migration-like-changing-tyres-at-full-speed-37927/","excerpt":"In total, we have already switched to 25 million customers for IP. That's 99% of all customers.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"Deutsche Telekom declared its all-IP migration essentially complete in early 2020, having moved about 99 percent of roughly 25 million fixed-line customers to IP.","domain":"telecomtv.com","publisherName":"TelecomTV"},{"title":"Which services will be switched off?","url":"https://www.nbnco.com.au/learn/device-compatibility/which-services-will-be-switched-off","excerpt":"Existing fixed line services will be disconnected at a future date","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"Australia's legacy copper fixed-line phone and internet services (Telstra and other providers using the copper network, plus ADSL and cable) are disconnected on a set date as each area moves to the NBN.","domain":"nbnco.com.au","publisherName":"NBN Co (Australia)"},{"title":"Copper switch-off: European experience and practical considerations","url":"https://www.wik.org/fileadmin/Studien/2020/Copper_switch-off_whitepaper.pdf","excerpt":null,"quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent research documenting European copper and PSTN switch-off programs, including incumbents that retired legacy networks ahead of the United Kingdom, with Estonia among the earliest to close copper.","domain":"wik.org","publisherName":"WIK-Consult"},{"title":"Copper Phone Lines Are Being Phased Out. Here's Why and What to Do About It","url":"https://www.atlantech.net/blog/copper-phone-line-replacement","excerpt":"major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink/Lumen, Frontier, and others have already retired tens of millions of copper lines","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"SUPPORTING","verifiedAt":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","supportsText":"Corroborates that major US carriers have already retired tens of millions of copper lines and that legacy devices such as alarms, elevator phones, and security systems still depend on copper. Paired with [3] and [4]; not sole support for any claim.","domain":"atlantech.net","publisherName":"Atlantech Online"}],"revisions":[],"relatedAnswers":[{"id":"3cc4d7a6-6aed-4446-8dd8-13e022c3e1ba","slug":"is-pstn-secure-and-can-pstn-calls-be-encrypted","question":"Is PSTN secure, and can PSTN calls be encrypted?","publishedAt":"2026-07-20T16:01:27.137","confidenceScore":92,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"pstn","label":"PSTN","description":"The public switched telephone network: how it works, POTS retirement, and the move to VoIP.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Standard PSTN calls are unencrypted, so they are exposed to line taps, interception inside the exchange (which carriers are legally required to support), and SS7 signaling attacks that can redirect calls and track users. The network supplies no encryption of its own. Confidentiality is possible only by adding matched crypto devices at both ends, such as STU-III or STE secure phones, or by carrying the call over encrypted IP using SRTP and TLS. Encryption always lives at the endpoints, never in the PSTN itself.","url":"/q/is-pstn-secure-and-can-pstn-calls-be-encrypted"},{"id":"895bda56-c48a-429f-8f13-53dc29c09b67","slug":"which-legacy-devices-are-still-at-risk-when-pstn-pots-lines-are-retired-or","question":"Which legacy devices are still at risk when PSTN/POTS lines are retired or moved to VoIP?","publishedAt":"2026-07-20T16:01:24.898","confidenceScore":90,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"pstn","label":"PSTN","description":"The public switched telephone network: how it works, POTS retirement, and the move to VoIP.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"When copper POTS lines move to VoIP, the equipment that fails is the kind that dials out as data or reaches for help automatically: fire alarm panel communicators, elevator emergency phones, burglar alarm dialers, medical alert pendants, fax machines, and card-payment terminals. They break because packet networks compress and drop the exact tones these machines depend on, and because a VoIP line loses power in an outage that a copper loop survived. Each one needs a cellular, IP, or analog-emulating replacement before its line is cut.","url":"/q/which-legacy-devices-are-still-at-risk-when-pstn-pots-lines-are-retired-or"},{"id":"28c898f5-b2d9-4a9d-88be-bd46bb9848e9","slug":"what-is-a-pstn-gateway-and-what-do-fxs-and-fxo-ports-do","question":"What is a PSTN gateway, and what do FXS and FXO ports do?","publishedAt":"2026-07-20T16:01:22.747","confidenceScore":93,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"pstn","label":"PSTN","description":"The public switched telephone network: how it works, POTS retirement, and the move to VoIP.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"A PSTN gateway bridges the traditional phone network and a VoIP system by converting analog or TDM voice into IP packets and back. Its analog ports come in two types: an FXS port powers and rings an end device like a phone or fax, and an FXO port connects to a live phone line from the PSTN or a PBX. FXS and FXO always pair, one feeding the line the other receives.","url":"/q/what-is-a-pstn-gateway-and-what-do-fxs-and-fxo-ports-do"},{"id":"ef14e83f-e61d-4263-80d2-b759e8ba8101","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-pstn-and-pbx","question":"What is the difference between PSTN and PBX?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T15:32:04.773","confidenceScore":93,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"pstn","label":"PSTN","description":"The public switched telephone network: how it works, POTS retirement, and the move to VoIP.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"The PSTN is the public, carrier-run network that connects phones worldwide; a PBX is a private switch that routes calls inside one organization and shares a few outside lines among many users. They are not rivals. A PBX plugs into the PSTN through trunk lines so staff can reach outside numbers, which is how a 100-person office runs on about ten external lines. Today most PBXs are IP or cloud-hosted and connect to the PSTN over a SIP trunk.","url":"/q/what-is-the-difference-between-pstn-and-pbx"}],"contributorStats":{"verifiedAnswers":224,"openDisputes":0},"schemaJson":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Question","name":"Is PSTN still used today?","text":"Is PSTN still used today?","url":"https://www.answerstack.io/q/is-pstn-still-used-today","answerCount":1,"datePublished":"2026-07-18T15:32:01.287","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"AnswerStack Editorial Team","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AnswerStack"},"url":"https://www.answerstack.io/contributors/answer-stack"},"about":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"PSTN"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Telecommunications"}],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, the PSTN is still used in 2026, but it now carries a small and shrinking share of voice traffic and is being deliberately shut down in most developed markets. In the United States, the count of traditional switched access lines that make up the PSTN fell from about 181 million in 2003 to roughly 15 million by mid-2025, while interconnected VoIP grew to about 63 million subscriptions [3]. The United Kingdom plans to retire its PSTN entirely by 31 January 2027, and roughly two thirds of UK landlines have already moved to digital voice [1][2]. Some national networks, including Germany's and Australia's, have already completed or nearly completed the move to all-IP [6][7]. So the honest answer is that the PSTN still works and still carries live calls, yet it is a legacy network in a managed retirement rather than something being newly deployed [4].","url":"https://www.answerstack.io/q/is-pstn-still-used-today","upvoteCount":0,"datePublished":"2026-07-18T15:32:01.287","dateModified":"2026-07-18T00:00:00","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"AnswerStack Editorial Team","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AnswerStack"},"url":"https://www.answerstack.io/contributors/answer-stack"},"citation":[{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Moving landlines to digital technologies","url":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-landlines-to-digital-technologies"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Time for a big switch-up as PSTN switch-off looms","url":"https://www.openreach.com/news/time-for-a-big-switch-up-as-pstn-switch-off-looms/"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Voice Telephone Services: Status as of June 30, 2025","url":"https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-421558A1.pdf"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Network and Services Modernization Order (Fact Sheet)","url":"https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-419252A1.pdf"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Federal Applications to Discontinue Landline Voice Service","url":"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/internet-and-phone/att-colr-etc-proceedings/federal-applications-to-discontinue-landline-voice-service"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Deutsche Telekom's IP migration 'like changing tyres at full speed'","url":"https://www.telecomtv.com/content/broadband/deutsche-telekoms-ip-migration-like-changing-tyres-at-full-speed-37927/"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Which services will be switched off?","url":"https://www.nbnco.com.au/learn/device-compatibility/which-services-will-be-switched-off"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Copper switch-off: European experience and practical considerations","url":"https://www.wik.org/fileadmin/Studien/2020/Copper_switch-off_whitepaper.pdf"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Copper Phone Lines Are Being Phased Out. Here's Why and What to Do About It","url":"https://www.atlantech.net/blog/copper-phone-line-replacement"}]}}}