Why it’s time for you to act on all-IP migration

In December 2025, support for wholesale line rental (WLR) products will completely cease when the final exchanges are switched off. The traditional copper-based analogue lines that have formed the backbone of the UK’s communication network for over a century will be withdrawn, and all the products that rely on them will stop working.

However, while 2025 marks the final switch-off, Openreach has already issued a number of ‘stop sells’ on copper-based products and will introduce its final one in 2023. Now’s the time, then, to ensure your infrastructure is futureproofed by transitioning to an all-IP alternative. And we’re here to help you do that.

Now is the time to act

Quite simply, existing legacy lines are no longer suitable for today’s digital requirements. For example, the current public switched telephone network (PSTN) used for telephony is now decades old. Originally developed with only voice in mind, it’s been increasingly co-opted to be used for delivering connectivity and other services and it’s reached its limit.

But many organisations across Scotland and Northern Ireland – particularly small- and medium-sized businesses – still rely on legacy PSTN and ISDN lines for voice and data services, along with other uses such as alarm signalling. Their pending switch-off is therefore set to have a significant impact on businesses everywhere.

For those of you who are still reliant on WLR legacy lines, now is the time to act and there are already alternatives to ensure you’re ready for the switch-off and beyond. We know it may seem dauting, so we’re here to support you at every step of the way to get you fully migrated and ready to operate.

From data centres to devices, and everything in between, BT can support all your capabilities. We’ve invested ￡3.7bn annually into our networks, platforms, services, and teams, meaning we have a futureproof digital infrastructure that can support you now and scale as you grow.

Continuously evolving

As its legacy analogue networks come to a close, the country looks toward an all-IP digital future, one that will not only keep your business connected, but will empower you to upscale your operations.

As it stands, communications networks are complex. Providing what you need – for voice, data, or for any other service – requires numerous connections and, often, the addition of bolt-on products. All-IP, on the other hand, simplifies everything, providing all that you need to operate through fixed or mobile connectivity. Essentially, it’s the lifeblood of your company, delivered through a simplified superfast connection. And BT has that network in place.

With access to the most extensive fibre network in Scotland – extending from Orkney and Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway, and most places in between – we’ve built our network so it never goes above 50% utilisation. And it’s the only network to offer 99.999% availability. In fact, we haven’t had an outage on our core network in over 13 years.

We’re there for mobile connectivity, too. EE’s 4G network now covers over 70% of Scotland, up from around 40% over three years ago, with further improvements to come. And following launches in Edinburgh and Glasgow, followed by Stirling and Paisley, we’re continuing to launch 5G in new locations across Scotland.

Another example of how we’re empowering organisations through superfast mobile connectivity can be found in Northern Ireland. We’re collaborating with Belfast Harbour, with the partnership?delivering a series of 5G-led innovations to accelerate the Harbour’s digital transformation and its smart port strategic ambitions.

In other words, BT’s network and technology are continuously evolving, always empowering you to push your business forward.

Supporting you on your journey

The move to all-IP can seem daunting. Every organisation has its own requirements and, in an ever-changing environment, it can be hard to know where to begin. That’s where BT can help.

We really care about your business, which is why we’ve invested heavily in our migration team – a roaming group of on-the-ground experts that will come to you and support you through your entire journey to all-IP.

We’ll begin with a process of discovery and assessment, identifying which of your products and services are currently supported by legacy lines, and auditing exactly what you need to transfer.

We’ll then work with you to design a solution and approach that works best for you – whatever the size and type of your business, and whatever your requirements. If you’re a small or home office (SOHO), we’ll show you how operating digitally will boost your business’s growth, by virtualising numbers to specific regions, for example, so you can act more “local”. Or, if you’re a much larger organisation that relies on a legacy PBX which you don’t want hosted in the cloud, we’ll provide an alternative.

Then, once we’ve both agreed on an approach, we’ll plan the migration so you can make the move without impacting your company’s operations and workflows. And, of course, we’ll be there to make sure that, when you’re up and running, everything’s going smoothly.

Reach out to us

December 2025 marks the final shutdown of the UK’s traditional copper-based analogue lines, including the PSTN and ISDN on which many businesses still rely. But, with Openreach already closing the exchanges which support these lines, time is shorter than you might think.

We’ve made sure that there is a ready-made alternative to legacy lines, though. It’s simple, scalable and will benefit us all. And, while that move may seem daunting, you’re not alone. Far from it, in fact. BT has a vast expert team and an all-IP network to match. We work with thousands of organisations across Scotland and Northern Ireland, and we’re here to support you.

Reach out to me or your BT account manager or email [email protected] to see how we can support you on your journey to all-IP.