Non-Geographic 03 Numbers: What They Are and How They Work
An explainer on UK 03 phone numbers: how they cost the same as 01 and 02 calls, why public bodies and charities use them, and how they differ from 08 numbers under Ofcom rules.
Geographic Phone Numbers (01 and 02): What They Mean
01 and 02 numbers are geographic UK telephone numbers tied to a local area code. This guide explains how the area coding works, what they cost from landlines and mobiles, why businesses keep them, and what the all-IP migration means.
118 Directory Enquiry Charges: What Ofcom Says and What You Pay
118 directory enquiry calls carry an access charge plus a service charge, with a per-call price cap introduced by Ofcom in 2019. This guide explains how the charges work, the cap, and the cheaper alternatives.
084 and 087 Numbers: Regulations and What You Pay
084 and 087 numbers carry a service charge set by the organisation you call plus your provider's access charge. This guide explains the rules on transparency, what the service charge covers, and how to find the cost before you dial.
0845 and 0870 Numbers: What They Cost to Call
Calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers are billed as an access charge set by your phone provider plus a service charge set by the organisation you call. This guide explains the split, the rules, and what to do if you think you have been overcharged.
0800 Numbers: Free from Both Mobile and Landline
0800 and 0808 freephone numbers explained: the 2015 rule change that made them free from mobiles, who actually pays, how the cost is funded and why businesses use them.
Premium Rate Numbers: How They Work and How They Are Regulated
Premium rate 09 numbers explained: what they are, how they are charged through an access charge and a service charge, the disclosure rules, and how to report overcharging.
Landline Call Costs: How They Work and What You Pay
How UK landline call costs are built: tariff structure, inclusive minutes, what happens when they run out, off-peak timing and international charges explained in plain terms.
Analogue Phone Adapters (ATAs) for VoIP: What They Are and How They Work
An analogue telephone adapter lets an old corded or cordless phone keep working over a VoIP service by converting between the analogue signal and digital voice. This guide explains what an ATA does, when you need one, and its limitations.
DECT Phones and VoIP: Will Your Cordless Phone Work After PSTN Switch-Off?
DECT cordless phones connect to the phone network through a base station, and most older base stations plug into the analogue line that is being retired. This guide explains what changes at the switch-off and how to keep your handsets working.
Door Entry Systems and the PSTN Switch-Off: What to Do
Many door entry and audio-handset systems in blocks of flats route the audio link over the analogue PSTN, which is being retired as the UK moves to all-IP. Residents and managing agents need to know the migration options and who pays.
Telecare Alarm PSTN Replacement Options: What Is Available
When the analogue line goes, an older personal alarm may need replacing. This guide compares IP-compatible units, 4G communicators and hybrid devices, explains who pays, and lists what to check before choosing.
Telecare and the PSTN Switch-Off: Protecting Vulnerable Users
Millions of personal alarms and fall detectors plug into the analogue phone line being retired by 2027. Here is how telecare works, what Ofcom and government expect of providers, and the steps families should take now.
Home Alarm Systems and the PSTN Switch-Off: What You Need to Do
Many monitored home alarms still dial out over the old copper phone line, which is being switched off as the network moves to all-IP by 2027. Here is how to check whether your alarm is affected and the steps to upgrade it for IP monitoring.
VoIP Location Data and Emergency Calls: How It Works
On the old copper network, a 999 call carried your address automatically. VoIP makes location harder, which is why next generation 999 and Ofcom's location rules matter. Here is how emergency location works on a digital phone line.
VoIP and 999 Calls: What the Rules Require
Calling 999 from a VoIP line is fully supported, but the rules around connectivity, location data and power resilience differ from the old analogue network. Here is what Ofcom requires providers to do and how to prepare for the PSTN switch-off.
VoIP and Power Cuts: What Happens to Your Phone Line
When the mains fails, a VoIP line goes silent unless backup power keeps the router and adapter running. Here is how power resilience works, who must provide a battery backup, and what households should arrange before the PSTN switch-off.
VoIP Call Quality: What Affects It and How to Improve It
A UK guide to VoIP call quality: how jitter, packet loss, bandwidth, codec choice, latency and router settings affect calls, plus practical steps and testing methods to diagnose and improve a noisy line.
VoIP Explained: How Voice Over Internet Protocol Actually Works
VoIP turns speech into digital packets and sends them across the internet using protocols such as SIP and codecs such as G.711. This guide breaks down how a VoIP call is built, routed and kept clear.
What BT Digital Voice Means for Existing Customers
BT is moving existing home phone customers from the analogue PSTN to Digital Voice as the network switches off by 2027. Learn what changes for you, whether you need a new router, and the support available for vulnerable customers.
Openreach Digital Voice: What It Is and What You Need to Do
Digital Voice is the IP-based phone service replacing the analogue PSTN as Openreach retires its copper voice network by 2027. Find out how it works, what equipment you need and how power resilience is handled.
How to Prepare for the PSTN Switch-Off: A Checklist for Homes and Businesses
With the all-IP migration completing in 2027, devices plugged into the phone line need checking now. This practical checklist covers auditing alarms, telecare, fax and EPOS, contacting providers, and who to ask for help.
What Is PSTN and Why Is It Being Switched Off?
The Public Switched Telephone Network has carried UK voice calls for over a century. This guide explains how the PSTN works, why the ageing analogue infrastructure is being retired, and what digital voice over broadband replaces it with by 2027.
The PSTN Switch-Off 2027: What Every UK Household and Business Needs to Know
The UK's copper analogue phone network is being retired and replaced with digital voice over broadband. This guide explains what the PSTN switch-off means, who is affected, the timeline, and the steps households and businesses should take now.
Mobile Broadband for Rural Areas: 4G and 5G as an Alternative
For many rural UK households without access to full-fibre or cable broadband, a 4G or 5G mobile broadband router is the most practical current option. This article explains how to assess coverage, improve signal, and decide when satellite is the better answer.
Taking a Broadband Dispute to the Small Claims Court
The small claims court is an option for a broadband dispute, often after ADR or for claims within the limit. Here is when to use it, how to file, what you can claim, and what the provider is likely to do.
How to Challenge a Broadband Billing Dispute
Billing errors, wrong charges, unexpected fees or a charge after cancellation, are common and challengeable. Here is how to spot them, raise a dispute, use the Direct Debit Guarantee, and escalate if needed.
Broadband Payment Protection: What Is Available and Is It Worth It
Payment protection add-ons promise to cover your bill in certain circumstances, but exclusions and value vary. Here is what such cover typically offers and excludes, how claims work, and whether it represents value.
Your Broadband Price Rise Rights: A Plain English Summary
Newer contracts must set out any mid-contract price rises in pounds and pence at sign-up, replacing the old inflation-linked approach. Here is how the rules differ by contract date and what to do on a price rise.
Switching Broadband Within a Fixed-Term Contract: Options and Costs
You can switch before your contract ends, but you will usually owe an early termination fee. Here is how to weigh the total cost of switching early against staying, and when paying the ETF is worth it.