- Ofcom tracks landline ownership and reliance through its annual Technology Tracker and Communications Market reports, which consistently show older adults are more likely to keep a fixed line.
- Ofcom recognises households that depend on their landline as a primary or only means of contact, and requires providers to identify and protect vulnerable customers during the digital switchover.
- Some rural and remote properties have limited or no reliable mobile signal, meaning a fixed line remains the only dependable way to make and receive calls, including to 999.
- Openreach is retiring the legacy analogue PSTN as part of the all-IP migration completing in 2027, after which voice services run over a digital connection rather than the old copper telephone network.
- Ofcom rules require communications providers to offer at least one solution that allows vulnerable customers to contact emergency services for a minimum period during a power cut.
Landline use is falling overall, but older people, rural households and those in poor mobile-coverage areas still rely on a fixed line, sometimes as their only telephone, according to Ofcom research.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Who still relies on a landline in the UK
The picture of landline ownership has shifted sharply over the past two decades, but a fixed line is far from obsolete. Ofcom research, gathered through its annual Technology Tracker and Communications Market reporting, repeatedly identifies a core group of households for whom the landline remains central to daily life. These are not simply people who have not yet caught up with mobile technology. Many have made a deliberate choice, while others have no practical alternative because of where they live or the limits of mobile coverage near their home.
Age is one of the strongest predictors of landline reliance. Older adults are considerably more likely than younger groups to keep a fixed line, to use it as their main telephone, and to value it as a familiar and trusted point of contact. Ofcom has noted that some older customers are uncomfortable using a mobile for important calls, find a handset on the wall or table easier to manage, or simply prefer the call quality and reliability they associate with the traditional network. For these households the landline is woven into routines built up over many years.
Reliance also tends to cluster with other circumstances. A household that keeps a landline because of age often keeps it for a second reason as well, such as a connected alarm or a home in an area of weak mobile signal, so the groups Ofcom describes overlap rather than sitting neatly apart. That overlap matters for the switchover, because a customer who depends on the line for several reasons at once is more exposed to disruption than one who keeps it out of habit alone, and providers are expected to weigh that combined dependence when identifying who needs extra support.
Why rural and remote homes depend on a fixed line
Geography matters as much as age. In rural and remote parts of the UK, mobile coverage can be patchy, weak indoors, or absent entirely. Ofcom's own coverage reporting acknowledges that not every location has reliable signal from every operator, and that indoor coverage in particular can be poor in older buildings with thick walls. For a household in a valley, on a hillside, or several miles from the nearest mast, the fixed line may be the only telephone that works dependably, including for calls to the emergency services.
This is why some households retain a landline even when they also own mobile phones. The mobile may be perfectly usable in town or at work but unreliable at home. In these circumstances dropping the fixed line would leave a real gap, particularly during an emergency when a dropped or failed mobile call could have serious consequences. Ofcom's protections for the switchover specifically recognise that some customers have no realistic mobile alternative and must not be left without a means of contacting 999.
The terrain that weakens mobile signal can also slow the rollout of newer fixed networks, so some of the same households wait longer for full fibre even as the analogue line they depend on is being retired. Ofcom's coverage data is the practical tool here, because it lets a household check what fixed and mobile coverage is recorded at its own address rather than relying on a general impression of the area. Where the data confirms weak mobile signal, the case for keeping a resilient fixed line through the digital switchover is far stronger than it would be for a home in a well-served town.
UK landline use statistics by demographic
The table below summarises the broad patterns Ofcom describes in its research. It illustrates relative reliance rather than precise percentages, because exact figures vary year to year across Ofcom's published tracking. Where a specific number matters for a decision, the current Ofcom report should be consulted directly.
| Group | Landline reliance | Typical reason |
|---|---|---|
| Adults aged 75 and over | High | Familiarity, comfort, main telephone |
| Rural and remote households | High | Poor or absent mobile coverage |
| Telecare and alarm users | High | Equipment connected to the line |
| Adults aged 35 to 54 | Low to moderate | Line bundled with broadband |
| Adults aged 16 to 34 | Low | Mobile-first, often no fixed line |
Households with no mobile alternative
A distinct category of landline users have effectively no mobile alternative at all. This includes people who do not own a mobile phone, those who cannot use one comfortably because of dexterity, hearing or sight difficulties, and households where signal at home is simply too weak to rely on. For these customers the fixed line is not a backup or a convenience but the single point of contact with family, carers, services and emergency responders.
Ofcom places particular weight on protecting this group through the move to digital voice. Because the old analogue line drew power from the exchange and could keep working in a local power cut, regulators have been clear that the digital replacement must not quietly remove that safety net. Providers are required to identify customers who depend on their landline and to make sure a solution is available that keeps them able to call 999, even when the mains power fails at home.
Identifying these customers is not always straightforward, because a household that never reports a problem can still be heavily dependent on its line. Ofcom expects providers to take reasonable steps to find such customers rather than wait for them to come forward, drawing on records of telecare connections, prior contact about vulnerability, and the absence of any alternative number on the account. Once identified, the customer should be offered a resilience solution, typically a battery backup unit that keeps the line working for a minimum period in a power cut, so that the move to digital voice does not strip away the ability to summon help.
How the switch to digital voice affects landline users
The traditional analogue telephone network is being retired. Openreach is migrating services to all-IP, a programme completing in 2027, after which voice calls run over a broadband connection rather than the legacy copper telephone path. For most users the handset and number stay the same, but the technology underneath changes, and that has practical consequences for the households described above.
The two issues that matter most for landline-dependent customers are power resilience and equipment compatibility. Digital voice does not carry power down the line in the way analogue did, so a battery backup or alternative arrangement is needed to keep calls working during a power cut. Separately, older alarm and telecare equipment designed for the analogue network may need testing or replacement. Ofcom and Openreach have both stressed that vulnerable customers should be identified and supported through this transition rather than left to discover problems after the change.
The change is also being phased rather than imposed overnight, which gives dependent households time to prepare if they act on the warning. When a property is due to be migrated, the provider should contact the customer in advance, check for any dependent equipment and arrange resilience where it is needed. A household that knows it relies on a connected alarm or a care-line should raise it at that point rather than assume the equipment will simply carry on working, because devices built for the analogue network cannot be guaranteed to function over a digital line without being tested first.
What landline-reliant households can do now
A household that depends on its fixed line does not need to wait passively for the switchover to reach it. The most useful single step is to tell the provider about any reliance, because that is what triggers the protections Ofcom requires, including the offer of a power-cut resilience solution and a careful handling of the migration. A customer who has a connected alarm, a care-line pendant, or no usable mobile at home should make that clear on the account so the provider can record it and plan around it.
Beyond flagging reliance, it is worth checking the recorded mobile coverage at the property using Ofcom's coverage tool, confirming what backup arrangements the provider will supply for a power cut, and identifying any equipment connected to the line that might need a digital replacement. Where a vulnerable person lives in the home, family members or carers can help by keeping a charged mobile available as a secondary route to the emergency services. These steps do not change the timetable for retiring the analogue network, but they reduce the risk that a landline-reliant household is caught out when the change arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many UK households still use a landline?
A substantial minority of UK households still have and use a landline, though the share has fallen over the past two decades as mobile and broadband-based calling have grown. Ofcom tracks this through its annual Technology Tracker and Communications Market reports. The exact figure changes each year, so the current Ofcom publication should be consulted for an up-to-date number rather than relying on an older one.
Why do some people prefer a landline?
Common reasons include familiarity, reliable call quality, ease of use for a fixed handset, and a sense of trust in the traditional network for important calls. Older adults in particular often find a landline simpler to manage than a mobile. For some, the landline is also linked to alarm or telecare equipment that depends on it, which turns a preference into a practical need.
Who is most likely to have a landline and no mobile?
Older adults, people with disabilities that make mobile handsets difficult to use, and households in rural areas with poor mobile coverage are the groups most likely to rely on a landline without a usable mobile alternative. Ofcom recognises these customers as potentially vulnerable and requires providers to protect their ability to contact emergency services through the digital switchover.
Will landlines still exist after PSTN switch-off?
Yes. The PSTN switch-off retires the old analogue network, not the landline service itself. Calls will continue, but they will run over a digital connection as part of the all-IP migration completing in 2027. The handset and number usually stay the same, with a battery backup or alternative arrangement needed for power-cut resilience because the digital line no longer draws power from the exchange.
What does Ofcom say about landline use trends?
Ofcom reports a long-term decline in landline-only and landline-reliant use as mobile and internet-based calling expand, while noting that certain groups remain heavily dependent on a fixed line. Its research highlights older, rural and vulnerable customers in particular and informs the protections built into the digital switchover, including the requirement to keep emergency calling available during a power cut.
