15+ years in fire safety
Free compliance & PSTN check
£10m public liability
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UK phone networks are moving from copper lines to digital. Fire alarm monitoring and auto-diallers that still use a copper line may stop signalling. We check what your system uses and explain the options.
UK telephone networks are moving from analogue copper lines (the PSTN) to digital, with the switch-off due to finish by January 2027.
Your fire alarm itself keeps sounding. What is at risk is the signal that goes out of the building: remote monitoring and auto-dialler units that rely on an old phone line.
If your alarm sends signals to a monitoring centre, find out whether it does so over a copper phone line. If it does, it needs moving to digital signalling.
A dialler that rings keyholders using a phone line may stop working once that line is switched over.
We look at what your alarm uses to signal out, alongside your logbook and panel fault log.
A communicator that signals over mobile and/or broadband is wired to your panel. See fire alarm monitoring.
A test signal is sent and confirmed with the receiving centre before the work is signed off.
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The UK phone network is moving from old analogue copper lines to digital. The switch-off is due to finish by January 2027. Equipment that relies on a copper phone line, including some alarm monitoring and auto-dialler units, may stop working when its line is switched over.
No. Your panel, detectors and sounders do not depend on the phone line and carry on sounding locally. What is at risk is the signal that goes out of the building, such as remote monitoring or an auto-dialler that rings keyholders.
Your monitoring contract, or the communicator or dialler unit fitted next to the panel, will tell you. If you are not sure, our free check finds out what your system uses.
Move to a digital communicator that signals to the monitoring centre over mobile and/or broadband, and can use two separate routes. We install it and confirm it works end to end with the receiving centre.
We review your fire alarm logbook and service history, the panel fault log and how your alarm signals out, then give you a short written summary of anything that needs attention. There is no obligation to go any further.
It is better not to. Checking now leaves time to plan the work around your building, rather than finding out when a signal stops getting through.
Book a free, no-obligation check and we’ll find out, then explain your options in writing.