- A traditional analogue landline drew power from the exchange and could work in a local power cut; a digital voice line generally does not, so a backup is needed for resilience.
- Ofcom requires communications providers to offer at least one solution allowing vulnerable customers to contact emergency services for a minimum period during a power cut.
- Mobile coverage varies by location and operator, and Ofcom's coverage reporting confirms that some homes, especially rural ones, have weak or no reliable indoor signal.
- The analogue PSTN is being retired as part of the all-IP migration completing in 2027, changing how all landline voice services are delivered.
- Many broadband packages no longer require a separate analogue phone line, so dropping voice line rental can be possible without losing the internet connection.
Keep a landline if your home has poor mobile signal, you rely on alarm or telecare equipment, or you need a power-cut-resilient way to call 999. Otherwise mobile-only can work and may cut costs.
Last reviewed: June 2026
What to weigh before going mobile-only
Choosing between a landline and a mobile-only household is rarely as simple as which option looks cheaper on a monthly bill. The right answer depends on where you live, how you actually use your phone, who else lives with you, and what would happen in an emergency or a power cut. A decision that suits a young household in a city with strong signal can be the wrong one for an older couple in a rural village. It is worth treating it as a checklist rather than a snap judgement.
Start with coverage. Mobile reception that is fine outdoors or in town can be unreliable indoors at home, particularly in older properties with thick walls or in areas served by only one or two masts. Ofcom's coverage reporting acknowledges these variations, and a quick test is simply to check whether calls hold up reliably from every room you would use them in. If they do not, a landline closes a real gap rather than duplicating something you already have.
It also helps to separate the decision into two distinct questions rather than one. The first is whether the household can function day to day without a fixed line, which is largely about coverage, cost and call habits. The second is whether the household can manage in an emergency or a power cut without one, which is about resilience and the needs of anyone vulnerable in the home. A household can answer yes to the first and no to the second, in which case the sensible outcome is often to keep a resilient landline arrangement rather than go fully mobile-only.
Coverage, cost and call patterns
Cost is the factor that pushes many households towards dropping the landline. If the line is bundled with broadband you may be paying a separate voice element you rarely use, and removing it can reduce the bill. However, the saving is not always as large as it looks once the broadband arrangement and any call inclusive minutes are accounted for. The change to broadband-only services that no longer require an analogue line has made this more straightforward than it once was, but the numbers should be checked against your specific package.
Call patterns matter too. A household that makes long calls from home, has family members who prefer ringing a house number, or values a single shared point of contact may get more from a landline than the monthly cost suggests. By contrast, a household where everyone already uses their own mobile for nearly all calls may find the landline genuinely redundant. The honest question is how often the fixed line is actually used, not whether it is occasionally convenient.
The cost comparison should also look forward rather than only at today's bill. Because the analogue network is being retired, a landline kept beyond the switchover becomes a digital voice service delivered over broadband, often at a similar or lower price than the old separate line rental once was. Going mobile-only, meanwhile, may mean adding data or minutes to a mobile plan, or buying a second handset and charger for another adult in the home. Setting the realistic future cost of each option side by side gives a truer picture than comparing the current landline charge against nothing.
Landline vs mobile-only decision factors
The table below sets out the main factors and how they tend to favour one option or the other. It is a guide to the trade-offs rather than a verdict, because the balance depends on your own circumstances.
| Factor | Favours keeping landline | Favours mobile-only |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile coverage at home | Weak or unreliable indoors | Strong and reliable |
| Alarm or telecare equipment | Connected to the line | None, or already mobile-based |
| Power-cut 999 resilience | Important, no mobile fallback | Charged mobile usually available |
| Monthly cost | Line used regularly | Line rarely used, saving possible |
| Household needs | Vulnerable or elderly resident | All adults mobile-confident |
999 resilience and power cuts
The single most important safety consideration is what happens during a power cut. The old analogue landline was powered from the exchange and would usually keep working when the mains failed at home. A digital voice line, which is how all landline calls will be delivered after the all-IP migration completing in 2027, depends on your broadband router, which loses power when the mains does. Without a backup, the line goes dead in a power cut.
Ofcom has addressed this directly. Providers are required to offer at least one solution that lets vulnerable customers contact the emergency services for a minimum period during a power cut, typically through a battery backup unit or an alternative arrangement. If your household has no charged mobile that would reliably reach 999 from home during an outage, this is a strong reason to keep a resilient landline solution rather than go mobile-only.
It is worth understanding how the mobile fallback actually behaves in an emergency, because it is sometimes assumed to be more robust than it is. A mobile attempting a 999 call can connect over any available network where coverage exists, not just the caller's own, which widens the chance of getting through. That does not help in a place with no mobile coverage from any operator, and it does nothing if the handset is flat. A power cut can also take down a local mast, so even a charged phone with normal signal may lose service in a wider outage. These limits are why a battery-backed digital line, or a traditional resilient arrangement, remains the dependable option for households that cannot count on a mobile reaching help.
Who should keep a landline and what to do if you drop it
Some households should think carefully before cutting the cord. Those with weak indoor mobile coverage, an elderly or vulnerable resident, or alarm and telecare equipment connected to the line have the most to lose. For them the landline is not a luxury but a safety and accessibility tool. Ofcom expects providers to identify such customers and protect them through the switchover rather than leave them exposed.
If you do decide to go mobile-only, take a few practical steps first. Make sure every adult has a charged mobile and a charger, confirm that signal is reliable in the rooms you use most, and consider a backup power source for emergencies. Check whether any alarm, telecare or care-line equipment relies on the line and arrange a mobile-based alternative if so. Finally, tell anyone who only has your house number, and update services and contacts that hold it.
Steps to take before switching either way
Whichever direction the decision points, a short period of preparation reduces the risk of an avoidable problem. Before keeping a landline through the switchover, confirm with the provider what power-cut resilience it will supply, check that any connected alarm or telecare device has been tested or replaced for digital working, and make sure the household knows the line now depends on the router rather than the exchange. Before going mobile-only, run a real test of signal in every room over several days rather than relying on a single check, because reception can vary with weather, network load and the time of day.
It also pays to handle the number itself deliberately. A landline number that the household wants to keep can usually be ported to a digital voice service or retained when changing arrangements, but it can be lost if a line is simply ceased without instruction. Where a vulnerable person lives in the home, agree a clear plan for how they would call for help during a power cut, whether that is a battery-backed line or a charged mobile kept to hand. Taking these steps does not change the wider timetable for retiring the analogue network, but it makes either choice safer to live with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I keep my landline?
Keep it if your home has poor mobile coverage, you have alarm or telecare equipment connected to the line, or you need a power-cut-resilient way to reach 999. If everyone in the household uses mobiles confidently and signal is strong at home, mobile-only may suit you and could reduce costs. Test signal in every room before deciding, because reception can vary from one part of a home to another.
Is it safe to get rid of a landline?
It can be safe if you have a reliable mobile with good signal at home and no equipment that depends on the line. It is riskier if signal is weak, if a vulnerable person lives in the home, or if telecare equipment is connected. Check power-cut and emergency-call arrangements before deciding, and keep a charged mobile available as a fallback even if you go mobile-only.
What are the risks of going mobile-only?
The main risks are losing the ability to make calls if mobile signal is weak at home, and having no working phone during a power cut if your only mobile is uncharged. Alarm and telecare equipment connected to the old line may also stop working. These risks are higher for rural, elderly or vulnerable households, where a resilient fixed line may still be the safer choice.
How do I call 999 if my mobile has no signal?
If your network has no signal, a mobile may still connect to 999 over another available network where coverage exists, but this is not guaranteed everywhere. In areas with no mobile coverage at all, a resilient landline is the dependable option. Ofcom requires providers to support emergency calling for vulnerable customers during power cuts, typically through a battery backup unit on a digital line.
Will dropping my landline save money?
It can, particularly if you are paying a separate voice element you rarely use and your broadband does not require an analogue line. The saving varies by package, so compare the cost with and without the voice line. Factor in any new mobile costs or backup arrangements before assuming it is cheaper, and look at the realistic future price of each option rather than only today's bill.
