PSTN Switch-Off 2027 for UK Hotels, B&Bs and Guesthouses (2026 Guide)

Last updated: April 2026

UK hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses have more PSTN-dependent services than most realise — and you need a migration plan before the 31 January 2027 switch-off. Room phones, reception lines, fire and intruder alarms, lift phones, payment terminals, some older key-card systems.

Here's what to do.

What's affected in a typical hotel

Front-of-house

Reception / booking phone line (often a rotary of multiple lines with hunt group)
Restaurant / bar phones
Conference / events phones
Payment terminals if using older dial-up modems

Guest rooms

In-room phones — often PSTN via internal PBX from one main PSTN line
Fire alarm integration — some older in-room alarm systems signal via PSTN

Back-of-house

Fire and intruder alarm monitoring circuits — usually on dedicated PSTN lines with monitoring company
Lift emergency phones — legally required (BS EN 81-28), typically PSTN
Building management systems — HVAC, boiler monitoring, CCTV callbacks
Key-card systems — some older integrations use PSTN callbacks for alarm conditions

Connectivity

Fax if still used (rare in modern hotels but some international customer patterns still do)
EPOS integration — some older till systems dial out for stock alerts

For a typical 30-bedroom hotel, that's often 5-15 separate PSTN-dependent services. All need migration.

Replacement options

Reception and common-area phones

Cloud VoIP handles all of this. Hunt groups (multiple lines ringing in sequence), auto-attendants, call queuing, restaurant/bar direct-dial extensions — all native in modern VoIP platforms. Priced per extension per month — we'll confirm your exact price when you enquire.

Guest room phones

Three options:

Full cloud VoIP to rooms — requires cabling update (Cat5e/6 to rooms), more expensive install but modern and flexible
Replace guest phones with VoIP-capable handsets on existing cabling — works if existing wiring supports it
Remove in-room phones entirely — increasingly common for budget hotels and B&Bs where guests use own mobiles; provide instructions at reception for emergencies

Decision depends on hotel type. Boutique and high-end hotels generally keep in-room phones for service; budget / serviced apartments often remove them.

Fire and intruder alarms

Switch to IP-based alarm monitoring via your existing alarm company. BT Redcare IP, CSL DualCom IP, and similar products are all available. Cost similar to existing PSTN monitoring, sometimes slightly cheaper. Fire alarm migration requires competent installer — not a DIY job.

Lift emergency phones

Legally required under BS EN 81-28. GSM-based lift phone upgrades installed by lift maintenance company, typically during scheduled maintenance. Expect a one-off installation cost plus a small monthly monitoring fee.

Payment terminals

Most modern card terminals are IP-based or 4G already. Any still on dial-up need replacement. Contact your card provider (Worldpay, Elavon, Adyen, Tyl by NatWest) for their IP-based replacement units.

Building management

Varies by system. BMS providers have been upgrading through 2022-2026. Ask your BMS maintenance company for a status check.

The hotel-specific timing challenges

Hotels don't have "quiet periods" — peak season, off-peak means lower occupancy but never empty. Migration timing considerations:

Avoid peak season migrations — do it in January-March or October-November rather than summer/Christmas
Test outside hours — VoIP commissioning ideally 11pm-6am to avoid guest disruption
Plan for failure — keep mobile backup for reception during the VoIP cutover window
Coordinate with fire alarm testing — required checks shouldn't overlap with migration
Lift availability — lift phone migration can temporarily take lifts out of service; coordinate with maintenance

Cost estimates

For a 30-room UK hotel, budget for:

Cloud VoIP for all public areas (reception, bar, restaurant, conference) — a monthly cost per extension
In-room VoIP (if retaining in-room phones) — an additional monthly cost depending on handset choice
Fire alarm IP migration — a one-off installation plus the existing monthly monitoring fee
Lift phone GSM upgrade — per lift, plus a monitoring fee
Payment terminal replacement (if required) — per terminal
Project management and coordination — depends on complexity

There's a one-off outlay plus an ongoing monthly cost, which is often lower than your existing PSTN costs once consolidated. Pricing depends on your hotel's size, systems and in-room phone decisions — we'll confirm exact figures when you enquire. Get a free quote.

FAQs

Does every hotel room phone need replacing?

Depends on how rooms are currently served. If you have in-room phones on a traditional PBX connected to PSTN, yes — either the PBX migrates to cloud VoIP (with in-room phones potentially re-used if compatible) or in-room service moves to VoIP entirely. Some hotels are using the switch-off as a reason to remove in-room phones altogether.

Does my hotel's fire alarm really need migration?

If the alarm monitoring circuit (the connection between your fire panel and the monitoring company's receiving centre) is on PSTN, yes. Your fire alarm panel itself doesn't need replacing — just the signalling connection. Check with your fire alarm maintenance company.

Can I remove in-room phones entirely?

Legal for most hotels — no specific regulation requires in-room phones. However: (1) some star-rating schemes (AA, VisitBritain) include in-room phones as criteria; (2) some insurance policies may have implications; (3) some guest segments (older, business travellers) expect them. Consider your specific market before removing.

What about lift phones in my small guesthouse without lifts?

Not applicable. Lift emergency phones are only required in buildings with passenger lifts. If your property has no lifts, you can skip this.

Does the PSTN switch-off affect my WiFi broadband?

Depends on your broadband technology. Traditional ADSL used PSTN lines — these are being replaced with FTTC and full-fibre equivalents. If your hotel broadband is already FTTC / fibre, it's unaffected. If still on ADSL, it migrates to a digital equivalent.

Getting a quote

Call 01743 598025 or request a quote. Free PSTN-readiness audit for your hotel, covering all PSTN-dependent services with a prioritised migration plan.