Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what impact assessment he has made the proposed closure of the Public Switched Telephone Network in 2025 on those who (a) do not have internet and (b) are unable to access a broadband connection.

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is privately-owned and the withdrawal is industry-led. Fixed-line operators - such as Openreach and Virgin Media - will cease to provide legacy copper services in a phased approach; with the network expected to switch-off entirely in 2025. The PSTN is increasingly unreliable and operators are concerned about their ability to repair, maintain and source spare parts.

Operators will be replacing the PSTN with ‘voice over internet protocol’ (VoIP) technology, which carries voice calls over a digital connection. For many consumers the change will involve plugging their existing landline phone into their router rather than into a wall socket. The change is expected to offer consumers clearer and better quality phone calls.

It should be noted that the closure of the PSTN will not affect fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) broadband (also known as ‘superfast broadband) where copper cables extend to roadside cabinets before a fibre cable carries the connection to the telephone exchange. Fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband is currently available in 97% of the country and operators continue to roll out services across the country.

While PSTN withdrawal is an industry-led process, the Government and Ofcom are working together on matters relating to the withdrawal process. This includes close engagement with the emergency services, as well as other organisations providing critical national services.

Ofcom has a statutory duty to further and protect the interest of consumers, including those who are vulnerable. As part of this duty, Ofcom has rules in place, known as general conditions, which all providers must follow, that mandate communication providers to have procedures and policies in place to identify and support vulnerable consumers.

Ofcom has also published a Vulnerability Guide for providers, setting out their expectations and good practice on how vulnerable telecoms consumers should be supported. This includes steps providers can take to identify vulnerable consumers, and an expectation that all providers implement specialist teams in order to provide extra support.

The telecoms industry - via the Broadband Stakeholder Group - have been collaborating on this issue, and in June 2020 launched a consumer-facing website as a resource to inform the public of the process. This website was developed with the support of telecoms companies, Ofcom and DCMS and is funded by TechUK. The website can be accessed here: https://www.futureofvoice.co.uk/.

We would advise consumers who have questions about the PSTN withdrawal process, or would like further information, to contact their telecoms service provider who will be able to provide specific support.