WLR2 retirement: 30 questions every UK SMB asks

WLR2 (Wholesale Line Rental 2) is the BT wholesale product underneath every analogue phone line in the UK. Its retirement on 31 January 2027 is the practical reason every UK business must move to a digital phone service. Below are the 30 questions UK SMBs ask us most often, with short, plain-English answers.

The basics

1. Is this real? Yes. Openreach announced the programme and Ofcom has signed it off. It is not optional and it is not being cancelled.
2. What exactly is being switched off? The analogue PSTN delivered over WLR2 — the copper voice service. Broadband over the same copper (and full fibre) continues.
3. When is the deadline? 31 January 2027 is the national stop date. Many exchanges hit “stop-sell” far earlier, so you cannot order new analogue lines today in most areas.
4. Who decided this? Openreach, with Ofcom oversight, as part of retiring legacy copper telephony in favour of IP voice.
5. Does it affect my mobile? No. Mobile networks are unaffected; only fixed analogue landlines are retired.

What happens to my equipment

6. What about my fax? Move to an IP fax service or eFax; analogue fax over the old line stops.
7. My alarm dials out — replace the alarm dialler with an IP-capable unit, or run it through an ATA with battery backup. Tell your alarm receiving centre.
8. My lift phone — same answer. Lift autodiallers must be migrated to a resilient IP path; building managers are responsible for this before 2027.
9. EPOS / card terminal that dials for authorisation — switch to an IP or 4G terminal; analogue dial-up auth stops.
10. Door entry / intercom on a phone line — replace with an IP or GSM unit, or route via an ATA.
11. Cordless DECT handsets — the handsets are fine; the base station must plug into a VoIP adapter or IP phone system instead of the wall socket.
12. Will my existing desk phones work? Analogue phones need an ATA; IP (SIP) phones plug straight into the network. Most businesses move to a softphone app and/or new IP handsets.

Numbers, broadband and continuity

13. Will I lose my phone number? No. UK numbers are portable; you keep your geographic (e.g. 020, 0161) number when you move to VoIP.
14. How do I move my number? Request a STAC from your current provider and give it to your new one. Porting typically completes within a working day.
15. Does my broadband change? If you are on FTTC/ADSL you may be moved to SoGEA (broadband without the analogue voice channel) or full fibre. Speeds are unaffected or improved.
16. What about power cuts? Unlike the old line, VoIP needs mains power. Keep a charged mobile, and for safety-critical sites add a UPS and/or a battery-backup router.
17. Will the line quality be worse? No — on a decent connection VoIP is HD voice, clearer than analogue. Quality depends on your internet and router QoS.
18. What internet speed do I need? About 100 kbps per concurrent call. A standard business broadband line comfortably handles a small team.

Emergency calls and compliance

19. Can I still call 999? Yes. UK VoIP must provide 999/112 access. Register your service address so emergency services are routed correctly.
20. What if the power or internet is down during a 999 need? Providers must warn you VoIP depends on power; have a mobile as backup. Ofcom requires at least one hour of battery resilience options to be offered to at-risk users.
21. Is VoIP GDPR-compliant? It can be. Silux Call ships UK GDPR call-recording controls, consent prompts and retention settings out of the box.

Cost, timing and choosing a provider

22. What does migrating cost? For a 1–10 user SMB, roughly £6.95–£17.95 per user/month plus £0–£30 one-off porting. Lift/alarm/EPOS units are £50–£400 each to replace.
23. Is VoIP cheaper than my old line? Almost always — there is no separate line rental, and UK call rates are lower. Most SMBs cut their phone bill.
24. When should I move? Now. Stop-sell is already live in many exchanges, and leaving it to late 2026 risks a rushed migration and supplier backlogs.
25. How long does migration take? A small office is usually live the same week; number porting completes in about one working day once submitted.
26. Do I need an engineer visit? Usually no for hosted VoIP — you plug IP phones into the network or use the app. Cabling or full-fibre installs may need a visit.
27. Can I run old and new in parallel? Yes, and you should. Keep the analogue line live for ~7 days alongside VoIP before decommissioning.
28. What should I look for in a provider? UK support, free porting, transparent GBP pricing, 999 handling, and resilience guidance — plus AI/scam-call features if you want them.
29. What if I do nothing? On 31 January 2027 the line stops carrying calls. Phones, alarms, lifts and dial-up terminals on it go dead until migrated.
30. How does Silux Call help? We port your number free (Plus and above), set up 999 and recording compliance, and migrate ancillary devices — see our PSTN switch-off guide for the full rollout plan.