Digital landline change / BT customer update
Why Is BT Temporarily Pausing Broadband for Some Digital Voice Customers?
BT says the short interruption is intended to prompt a response from a small group still waiting to move their home phone to Digital Voice.
BT has temporarily paused broadband for a small group of customers who, it says, did not respond to repeated requests about moving their analogue landline to Digital Voice. Those affected were reportedly given five days’ notice. BT says the aim is to get in touch before the old phone network closes; the reported pauses left the existing landline and mobile service working. This is not a general BT broadband shutdown.
The issue matters because a household may see its internet stop and assume there is a network fault. In this case, the reported pause is a deliberate contact measure tied to an outstanding phone migration. If you have received a notice, contact BT through its official app, account or published customer support channels and explain any reason you cannot switch safely.
Who is BT targeting with the pause?
The Guardian reported on 3 October that the measure affected a small group who had not replied to contact about the analogue phone switchover for two years. BT acknowledged introducing a temporary broadband pause for a small minority who had not responded to repeated communications. Affected customers were reportedly given five days’ notice.
BT’s explanation is that leaving these accounts untouched risks a more serious loss of service when the legacy phone system retires. The report says more than 80% of the previously unresponsive group subsequently took the steps needed to switch. BT has not publicly given an exact number of paused broadband accounts in that report.
The pause is about an unanswered landline migration
BT Digital Voice replaces traditional analogue home-phone calling with calls carried over a broadband connection. Openreach says its old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will close on 31 January 2027. Providers need to arrange a suitable replacement for customers still using it. Ofcom advises customers to respond when their provider contacts them because ignoring the change can put their service at risk.
The reported pause is BT’s way of getting a response from some long-unreachable customers before that deadline. It is a current BT retail action; it should not be confused with Openreach’s separate plans for what happens to legacy lines after January. Openreach has announced a limited last-resort service for eligible lines and says it will preserve linked broadband where technically possible. That safety net is not a promise that every untouched connection will keep working.
BT asks the customer to arrange the phone change. The provider needs to establish what equipment and support the household uses.
A small unresponsive group reportedly gets five days’ warning. The warning concerns a temporary broadband pause, according to the Guardian’s account.
The customer contacts BT to agree the next step. Anyone with an alarm, poor mobile reception or additional needs should say so before migration.
What to do now
- Check that the message is genuine. Open the BT app or type BT’s website address yourself. Do not use an unfamiliar payment link in a text or email.
- Contact BT promptly. Tell the adviser you have been warned about a broadband pause linked to Digital Voice, or that broadband has already stopped. Ask what needs to happen to restore or maintain service.
- Explain anything that makes a routine switch unsafe. Mention a telecare or pendant alarm, a health condition, poor mobile coverage, a power-cut concern, accessibility needs, or other equipment connected to the phone line.
- Agree and confirm the migration plan. Ask what equipment, engineer help and checks are needed, and make sure the phone and any alarm are tested as appropriate before you rely on the new service.
What about the home phone and care alarms?
The Guardian reported that the existing analogue landline and mobile service remained active during these BT broadband pauses. That does not mean it is safe to ignore the switchover, or that every connected device will work once a digital phone service is installed.
Tell both BT and the alarm provider about a telecare device before migration. Ofcom says providers must identify and support vulnerable customers, and it secured additional safeguards from BT in September for telecare checks and service restoration. That Ofcom action concerned BT’s migration processes; it was not a ruling on the newly reported broadband pause.
Power-cut distinction: this reported pause leaves the old landline active. After a move to Digital Voice, calling normally depends on powered broadband equipment. Households that rely on a landline for emergencies should ask BT about a suitable backup solution. See our digital landline power-cut guide for the separate issue.
In brief
BT says a temporary broadband pause is a prompt to contact it about an overdue Digital Voice move. If you receive a notice, respond through an official BT channel and explain any care alarm, accessibility or emergency-calling needs before agreeing to switch.
Frequently asked questions
Is BT pausing broadband for all Digital Voice customers?
No. BT says the temporary pause applies to a small minority who had not responded to repeated communications about moving from the analogue phone service.
How much warning do affected BT customers get?
The reported group was given five days’ notice of a planned temporary broadband pause. Check your own communication and contact BT through an official channel if you are unsure.
Does the temporary broadband pause also stop the old landline?
According to the report, the existing landline and mobile services remained active during these pauses. Ask BT to check your specific account and any connected devices.
What should I do if my BT broadband has been paused?
Contact BT promptly through its official app, account or customer support channels. Explain the notice, ask how service will be restored and tell BT before migration if you use telecare or need extra support.
Sources
- The Guardian, 3 October 2026 — reporting on BT’s temporary pause, customer notice and BT’s response.
- Ofcom, digital landline guidance — customer action, telecare and the phone network deadline.
- Ofcom, BT migration assurances — safeguards agreed in September 2026.
- Openreach, broadband protection as PSTN closure approaches — January 2027 and the limited last-resort arrangements.