BT is bracing for a revenue hit of up to £200 million this year as consumers abandon traditional landlines rather than transition to digital alternatives ahead of the upcoming national switchover.

The telecoms giant expects revenues to fall short by £150 million to £200 million due to the migration away from legacy copper wires to internet-delivered connections. However, BT executives maintain that the financial impact will be temporary, pointing to offset gains from full-fibre broadband adoption and long-term savings in maintenance costs once the digital transition is finalised.

With the deadline looming at the end of January 2027, BT has successfully moved 3.1 million households onto digital landlines. Nevertheless, approximately one million homes and businesses still rely on old copper cables. While consumers who miss the deadline may be placed on emergency services or risk disconnection, BT claims that safeguarding vulnerable customers remains a core focus.

A BT spokesman said:

“More than three million households have now made the move to a digital landline, benefitting from a safer, more reliable service ahead of the industry‑wide analogue switchover in January 2027. As we focus on the small minority of our customers yet to make the switch, protecting those who need extra support remains our top priority.”

The transition, extended from an original 2025 deadline, has faced intense scrutiny following safety concerns regarding , prompting providers to issue emergency battery backup packs.

Alongside the landline migration, BT reduced its workforce by 18,000 employees over the past six months as full-fibre network rollouts near completion, bringing total headcount down to 90,000. Despite transitional revenue pressures, BT reported rising pre-tax profits and an increase in interim dividends, buoyed by stringent cost-cutting and strong mobile handset sales.

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