- The analogue PSTN is being retired by Openreach, with the all-IP migration completing in 2027, affecting any device that dials out over the old line.
- Older EPOS tills and PDQ card terminals could connect by dialling a phone number over the analogue line to authorise payments.
- Most modern card terminals already use broadband, ethernet or a mobile (GPRS/4G) connection and are unaffected by the line retirement.
- The payment provider or acquirer, not the broadband company, is the correct first contact for a terminal's connectivity and migration.
- Card payment systems must meet the PCI DSS security standard regardless of how the terminal connects.
A card reader that dials out over the analogue line may stop working after switch-off. Most modern terminals already use broadband or mobile and are fine. Check with the payment provider to confirm and migrate if needed.
Last reviewed: June 2026
How EPOS and card readers can depend on the analogue line
Point-of-sale equipment comes in two broad categories: the EPOS system that records the sale and manages the till, and the PDQ card terminal that takes the payment. Either can connect to the outside world in several ways, and the oldest method is to dial a telephone number over the analogue line to reach the payment processor, much as a fax or a dial-up modem did. A terminal configured this way opens a brief call each time it authorises a transaction.
That dial-out method is precisely what the analogue retirement removes. Because the Public Switched Telephone Network is being withdrawn by Openreach with the all-IP migration completing in 2027, a terminal that relies on dialling out will lose its route to the processor once the line it uses is migrated or ceased. The risk is concentrated in older estates, secondary or backup terminals, and seasonal equipment that may not have been reviewed for years, rather than in newer kit that already runs over data connections.
Which devices already use broadband or mobile
The reassuring part is that most card terminals deployed in recent years do not touch the analogue voice line at all. They connect over ethernet or broadband, over a shop's wireless network, or over a mobile data connection using a SIM card, which is common for portable terminals and pay-at-table devices. These devices are unaffected by the switch-off because they were never dependent on dial-up signalling in the first place.
The difficulty is that it is not always obvious from looking at a terminal which method it uses. A device might sit on a counter with a phone-style cable that actually carries broadband, or a portable unit might use mobile data invisibly. This is why a deliberate check is worthwhile even for businesses that assume their kit is modern: the cost of a wrong assumption is a terminal that cannot take payment on the day the line is switched.
EPOS and PDQ PSTN connectivity check process
The table below sets out a simple sequence for confirming whether a payment device is exposed to the switch-off.
| Step | Action | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Inventory | List every till, terminal and backup device in use. | Reveals forgotten or seasonal equipment. |
| 2. Check the cable | See whether each device uses a phone socket, ethernet or mobile SIM. | A phone-socket connection is a warning sign. |
| 3. Ask the provider | Contact the payment provider or acquirer with the terminal details. | Confirms the connection method definitively. |
| 4. Plan migration | If dial-up, arrange a broadband or mobile replacement. | Sets the upgrade timeline before switch-off. |
| 5. Test | Process a live transaction on the new connection. | Confirms payments work end to end. |
Running through these steps once across the whole estate is far less disruptive than discovering a dead terminal at a busy trading moment.
Who to contact and what migration involves
The single most important point is that the payment provider or merchant acquirer, not the broadband company, owns the terminal's connectivity. They can confirm exactly how a device connects, whether it is affected, and what replacement or reconfiguration is required. The broadband provider's role is limited to delivering the underlying internet connection that an IP terminal would then use. Contacting the wrong party is a common cause of delay.
Where a device does use dial-up, migration usually means swapping it for a terminal that connects over broadband or mobile data, or reconfiguring an existing unit if it already has the hardware. This is generally a routine upgrade that providers have been carrying out as part of the wider switch-off, but it needs lead time to order, install and test. Throughout, the card payment system must continue to meet the PCI DSS security standard, which applies regardless of the connection method, so any change should preserve that compliance.
The hidden devices that catch businesses out
The terminals that cause problems are rarely the busy front-counter units, which tend to be modern and frequently used. The risk hides in the equipment that is out of sight and out of mind: a backup terminal kept in a drawer for when the main one fails, a seasonal unit used only at Christmas or during an annual sale, a device at a rarely staffed secondary till, or a standalone terminal in a back office used for telephone orders. These are exactly the units least likely to have been upgraded and most likely to still rely on a dial-up connection over the analogue line.
The same applies to ancillary equipment that quietly shares the phone line, such as an alarm dialler, a building entry system or a fax used for the occasional order. A switch-off planned around the obvious card terminal can still strand one of these forgotten devices on the day the line is migrated. This is why the inventory step matters so much: writing down every device that connects to a line, however infrequently it is used, is the only way to be sure nothing is left behind. A short walk around each site checking what is plugged into a phone socket often surfaces equipment that no current member of staff remembers installing.
Acting before the deadline
The practical risk of the switch-off for retail and hospitality is not abstract: it is the prospect of being unable to take card payment during trading hours. Because the migration is being carried out line by line over a multi-year programme, businesses do not all face the same date, which makes it easy to assume there is no urgency. The safer posture is to complete the inventory and provider check now, so any affected terminal is identified well ahead of the line being migrated.
For multi-site operators the same review should run across every location, including pop-up, market and event terminals that may use older mobile or dial-up methods. Keeping a record of each terminal's connection type, provider reference and migration status turns a vague worry into a managed task. The aim is simply that no payment device is still depending on an analogue line by the time that line is gone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my card reader work after PSTN switch-off?
If the reader dials out over the analogue line it may stop working once that line is retired. Most modern terminals already use broadband, ethernet or mobile data and are unaffected. The way to be certain is to check the connection type and confirm with the payment provider.
How do I know if my EPOS machine uses PSTN?
Check how each device connects: a cable into a phone socket suggests a dial-up connection over the analogue line, whereas ethernet or a mobile SIM does not. Because it is not always obvious, the definitive answer comes from asking the payment provider, who can confirm exactly how the terminal reaches the processor.
Who should I contact about my card payment terminal and PSTN?
Contact the payment provider or merchant acquirer that supplied the terminal, not the broadband company. They own the device's connectivity, can confirm whether it is affected, and arrange any replacement or reconfiguration. The broadband provider only supplies the underlying internet connection that an IP terminal would use.
What replaces PSTN for card payments?
Card terminals move to broadband or ethernet connections, or to mobile data using a SIM card for portable and pay-at-table devices. These methods were already standard on recent equipment. Whichever is used, the payment system must continue to meet the PCI DSS security standard.
How long does it take to upgrade a card payment system?
A straightforward terminal swap or reconfiguration is usually routine, but it needs lead time to order, install and test, and timescales vary by provider. Because the analogue line is retired site by site, the safest approach is to check and plan the migration well ahead rather than wait for a switch-off notice.
