BT to switch off landline phones in new Scots locations – check if you’re affected

BT is set to turn off landline phones across the country which will impact thousands of homes.

Openreach confirmed phones would be disconnected amid major upgrade works to their network.

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The telecommunications firm is ditching obsolete parts of its networks as part of the update.

It means phones connected to the copper wire network will be turned off before being replaced by advanced tech.

Copper lines are set to be replaced with faster Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) tech – which connects calls via the internet.

The upgrade will give phone users access to Voice over the Internet (VOIP) tech.

It means landlines will be able to use three-way calling and multi call features.

Call quality is also said to be improved thanks to Digital Voice but you will need a compatible Digital Home phone for that.

The upgrade is set to give even more homes access to faster broadband speeds – as BT wires are used by major service provides like Sky, Vodafone, Plusnet and TalkTalk.

BT will also stop selling legacy analogue products to people in the upgrade areas.

People living in places where the new ultrafast fibre wires are not being installed won’t have to worry about the change.

They can continue their current copper-based service until Full Fibre becomes available to the majority of households.

“Stop Sell” will be triggered once 75 per cent of premises gain access to ultrafast Full Fibre.

Customers will then have to sign up for a new digital service if they wish to switch, upgrade or downgrade their broadband or phone service.

Around 4million homes are already on a full-fibre network, according to BT and is available to an additional 14million homes and businesses.

James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Manager, said: “Taking advantage of the progress of our Full Fibre build and encouraging people to upgrade where a majority can access our new network is the right thing to do as it makes no sense, both operationally and commercially, to keep the old copper network and our new fibre network running side-by-side.

“As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future-proofed technologies.”

The upgrade work is set to be carried out over the next year.

There are four areas in Scotland which are set to see the old network switched off.

Landlines in Aberdeen, Leven in Fife, Busby in East Renfrewshire and Motherwell are all on the list of places set to be upgraded next.