Broadband and Phone Deals UK: Digital Landlines Explained

What a broadband and phone bundle includes now

A broadband and phone bundle is a single contract that supplies an internet connection and a landline phone service. In the past, the phone service ran on a separate analogue copper line with its own rental charge. That model is being retired. The phone service now runs as a digital service over the broadband connection itself. The bundle still appears as one bill, but the technical delivery has changed. The router carries both the internet traffic and the voice calls. The phone socket on the wall may still be used, but it is connected through the router or an adaptor rather than a standalone analogue line.

What households pay for is therefore a package of connectivity and calling. The broadband element provides the data connection. The phone element provides a phone number and the ability to make and receive calls. Call packages may include inclusive minutes to UK landlines and mobiles, or calls may be charged separately. The bundle price covers the line rental equivalent, the broadband service, and any call plan. Equipment such as a router is usually included. The contract sets out the speed, the minimum term, and the price. Because the phone service now depends on the broadband connection, a fault with the broadband can also affect the phone. That is a practical change from the analogue era, when the phone line could keep working even if broadband failed.

The switch to digital landlines and what changes at home

GOV.UK states that most customers are expected to have moved from analogue to digital landlines by the end of January 2027. Providers contact customers before moving them. The move is not automatic in the sense that a household can simply ignore it. The provider will write or call to explain what will happen and when. During that contact, the household can raise any concerns. The key change is that the phone service will run over the broadband connection. That means the phone and the internet share the same underlying link. If the broadband goes down, the phone may go down with it. If the power goes out, the phone will not work unless there is a battery backup or a mobile phone available as a fallback.

Some equipment may need attention. Alarms, telecare units and fax machines may need an adaptor or an upgrade. These devices were designed for the analogue line and may not work in the same way on a digital service. Providers contact customers before moving them so that these issues can be identified. Customers who rely on a landline should tell their provider. That includes people with telecare units, personal alarms, or any device that uses the phone line to send an alert. Major providers signed a charter in December 2023 to protect telecare users during the switch. The charter is a commitment to identify vulnerable customers and to make sure their telecare works before the analogue service is switched off. Households should not assume the provider already knows about a telecare unit. It is safer to say so directly.

Price rises: the pounds and pence rule

Price rises in new contracts are now governed by a clear rule. Since 17 January 2025, Ofcom bans inflation-linked or percentage-based price-rise terms in new phone, broadband and pay TV contracts. That means a provider cannot write a term that says the price will rise by inflation plus a set percentage. Instead, any price rise written into a new contract must be set out in pounds and pence, prominently, at the point of sale. The customer should see the exact amount of any future increase before signing. This changes how a household can compare deals. A low headline price is less meaningful if a large pounds and pence rise is built into the contract. The relevant figure is the total cost over the minimum term, including any stated increase.

The rule applies to new contracts. It does not rewrite existing contracts that were signed before the ban. A household on an older contract may still be subject to an inflation-linked term. When that contract ends and a new one begins, the pounds and pence rule applies. The practical check is to look at the contract summary and the point of sale information. Any price rise should be stated as a cash amount, not a percentage. If a provider cannot show the rise in pounds and pence, that is a warning sign. The household should also check when the rise takes effect. A rise written into the contract is different from a rise that the provider introduces later under a separate term. The ban targets the terms written into new contracts, so the wording of the contract matters.

Compensation when repairs or appointments go wrong

Ofcom automatic compensation applies from 1 April 2026. The scheme sets fixed payments for certain failures. When a repair after loss of service is delayed, the payment is £10.34 per day. When an engineer appointment is missed, the payment is £32.31. When the start of a new service is delayed, the payment is £6.46 per day. These are automatic payments, meaning the customer does not have to negotiate them. The provider is expected to pay them when the conditions are met. The household should keep records of the fault, the date it was reported, and any appointment that was missed. That makes it easier to check that the correct amount has been paid.

The compensation scheme is separate from the complaints process. If a household believes a payment is missing or wrong, it can raise a complaint with the provider. From 8 April 2026 an unresolved complaint can go to an independent dispute resolution scheme after six weeks instead of eight. That shortens the waiting period before an independent body can look at the case. The dispute resolution scheme is free to the customer. The household should keep a written record of the complaint and the dates. The six-week clock runs from when the complaint was made. If the provider has not resolved it by then, the case can be escalated. The combination of automatic compensation and the shorter dispute window gives households two separate routes to a remedy. One is the fixed payment for a service failure. The other is the independent review of an unresolved complaint.

Telecare, alarms and power cuts

Digital landlines run over the broadband connection and do not work in a power cut without a battery backup or a mobile phone. That is the central safety point of the switch. An analogue line carried its own power, so a corded phone could often still work during a power cut. A digital service depends on the router and the broadband connection, both of which need power. If the electricity goes out, the phone service stops unless there is a battery backup unit or a mobile phone to use instead. Households that rely on a landline for emergencies should plan for that. A charged mobile phone, kept in a known place, is one fallback. A battery backup for the router is another. The provider can explain what is available.

Telecare users face a specific risk. A telecare unit, personal alarm, or pendant often uses the phone line to call a monitoring centre. If the phone line changes to a digital service, the unit may need an adaptor or an upgrade. Major providers signed a charter in December 2023 to protect telecare users during the switch. The charter commits providers to identify vulnerable customers and to make sure their telecare works before the analogue service is switched off. Customers who rely on a landline should tell their provider. That includes anyone with a telecare unit, a personal alarm, or a medical device that uses the phone line. The provider can then arrange the adaptor or upgrade. It is not enough to assume the provider knows. The household should confirm that the telecare unit has been tested on the new digital service before the analogue line is removed. Alarms and fax machines may also need an adaptor or upgrade, so the same check applies to them.

Checklist before signing a bundle

Before signing a broadband and phone bundle, a household should check several practical points. First, confirm how the phone service will be delivered. It should be clear that calls run over the broadband connection and what happens during a power cut. Second, check the contract for any price rise. Since 17 January 2025, any price rise written into a new contract must be set out in pounds and pence, prominently, at the point of sale. The household should see the exact amount and the date it applies. Third, check the minimum term and the total cost over that term. A low monthly price with a large stated increase may cost more than a higher flat price. Fourth, ask about telecare, alarms, and fax machines. These may need an adaptor or an upgrade. Customers who rely on a landline should tell their provider. Fifth, check the compensation terms. Ofcom automatic compensation from 1 April 2026 covers delayed repairs, missed appointments, and delayed new services. The household should know the daily and fixed amounts.

Sixth, check the complaints route. From 8 April 2026 an unresolved complaint can go to an independent dispute resolution scheme after six weeks instead of eight. The household should know how to escalate a case and keep records of dates. Seventh, check the equipment. A router is usually included, but a battery backup for power cuts may not be. If the household needs one, that should be established before signing. Eighth, check the switch timing. GOV.UK states that most customers are expected to have moved from analogue to digital landlines by the end of January 2027. Providers contact customers before moving them, so the household should respond to that contact and raise any concerns. Ninth, check the call plan. Inclusive minutes and call charges vary, and the bundle price may not cover all calls. Tenth, keep a copy of the contract summary and the point of sale information. That record is useful if a price rise or a compensation payment is later disputed. The checklist is not about finding the cheapest deal. It is about knowing what is being bought, what it costs over the term, and what happens when something goes wrong.

Related coverage on Kael Tripton: Virgin Media Broadband Deals UK 2026: Cable Network Explained, Sky Broadband Deals UK 2026: What to Know Before Signing Up, How to Switch Broadband UK 2026: One Touch Switch, Exit Fees and Your Rights, What Happens to Your ISP Email Address When You Switch Broadband, Fibre vs full-fibre broadband.

Frequently asked questions

What is a broadband and phone bundle now that landlines are going digital?

It is a single contract that supplies broadband and a phone service, with calls running over the broadband connection rather than a separate analogue line. The bill may look the same, but the phone service now depends on the broadband link and on power at the property.

Will my phone work in a power cut?

Digital landlines run over the broadband connection and do not work in a power cut without a battery backup or a mobile phone. Households that rely on a landline should keep a charged mobile phone or ask their provider about a battery backup.

How much compensation is paid for a missed engineer appointment?

Ofcom automatic compensation from 1 April 2026 sets the payment at £32.31 for a missed engineer appointment. A delayed repair after loss of service is £10.34 per day, and a delayed start of a new service is £6.46 per day.

Can a new contract include an inflation-linked price rise?

No. Since 17 January 2025, Ofcom bans inflation-linked or percentage-based price-rise terms in new phone, broadband and pay TV contracts. Any price rise written into a new contract must be set out in pounds and pence, prominently, at the point of sale.

What should telecare users do before the analogue line is switched off?

Customers who rely on a landline should tell their provider. Alarms, telecare units and fax machines may need an adaptor or upgrade. Major providers signed a charter in December 2023 to protect telecare users during the switch, and the unit should be tested on the digital service before the analogue line is removed.