What is the analogue switch off?

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is being phased out, and if your business or residency currently uses a traditional phone line, we recommend switching to a fully digital service before December 2025. This transition is necessary because the PSTN will no longer be operational after January 31, 2027.

By then, all phone lines in the UK will operate on a fully digital network, utilizing Internet Protocol (IP) and a fibre-based infrastructure.

As the switch-off date approaches, the PSTN network is becoming increasingly unstable and prone to faults. This is not a mandatory requirement for all customers, in some circumstances we will advise you if this is the right decision for you.  It is important to be aware your existing provider will be required to provide a solution to ensure there is no downtime in your service.  We have provided some examples where you may not be best suited to change.

Affected Services

Traditional phone lines aren't just for voice calls. They also support several "special services" that rely on these connections, including:

• Alarm systems

• Care Alarms

• EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) machines

• Door entry systems

• CCTV

• Fax machines

• And more

If your broadband service depends on a traditional phone line, you will likely need to upgrade your connection as well.

Additionally, the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) will be affected by the PSTN switch-off and will no longer be available.

Emergency Organisations using VoIP Outbound Call Services may cease if there is a power cut or power failure, or a failure of the internet connection on which the service relies.

Why is This Change Occurring?

The current PSTN network is outdated, fragile, and increasingly difficult to maintain. As a 20th-century technology, it no longer meets the demands of modern communication.

The way people use phones has shifted dramatically, with more reliance on mobile and internet-based communication. Modern phone services need to offer features and capabilities that traditional technologies simply can't provide.

This is why the future of communication is digital.

Impact on Your Business

To ensure your business stays connected, you'll need to transition from a traditional phone line to the latest IP technology. We strongly recommend that all business customers complete this migration by December 2025.

Openreach’s Full Fibre Network Rollout

To ease this transition, Openreach is working on a phased rollout of full fibre exchanges across the UK. Each quarter, new exchanges will be added to the plan.

For more information, visit Openreach’s website. In the Resources section, you can access a list of exchanges that have been announced so far.

The PSTN Stop Sell

As of September 2023, we stopped selling traditional phone lines in all exchange areas. This "PSTN stop sell" means you can no longer purchase legacy voice or broadband services.

The stop sell is a crucial milestone in the UK’s transition to more advanced, efficient communication technologies. By upgrading to IP-based solutions, your business can enjoy improved features, scalability, and cost savings.

With the stop sell in effect, it’s important to start planning and exploring IP alternatives sooner rather than later. Our team is here to support you through this transition and ensure a smooth migration.

Disabled & Vulnerable Customers

If you are disabled or need help in setting up the equipment, we can provide further assistance by instructing an engineer to visit the property. If you need further help, please call us on 0330 912 2819.  We have included some detailed information below to help and explain our policies when helping disabled and vulnerable customers.

We are able to provide a printed directory for customers who are visually impaired or other disabilities free of charge.  We will ensure we can connect an customer to a requested telephone number at the request of a customer.

We will ensure that any customer with voice service, because of his of her disabilities, will have the option to receive in text format some of the call or all of the call that has been made. 

We will ensure that all customers have access to Relay Services. As part of this service, we will ensure that this service will be supplied free of charge for all customers that require it, this includes any additional time taken for the customer to access the Relay Service.  All calls using the relay service will be confidentially communicated. We will ensure that this service is always available for lawful use. We will ensure that customers are not prevented from communicating with other end-users of other relay services.  We will ensure we will comply with Ofcoms up to date guide to plubicising services available to disabled people.

All disabled customers with a mobile service, will have Mobile SMS access to Emergency Organisations, free of charge, by using the emergency call numbers “112” and “999”

All disabled customers will have the ability to be provided or contracted to provide, Emergency Video Relay Service which has been approved by Ofcom,  this will ensure that any End-User of Internet Access Services or Number-based Interpersonal Communications Services we provide, who communicates in British Sign Language because of their disabilities, can access and use the Emergency Video Relay Service.

We will ensure that all customers have access to Emergency Video Relay Services. As part of this service, we will ensure that this service will be supplied free of charge for all customers that require it, this includes any additional time taken for the customer to access the Emergency Video Relay Service.  All communication using the Emergency Video Relay Service will be confidentially communicated. We will ensure that this service is always available for lawful use, and comply with directions in respect of the Emergency Video Relay Service which Ofcom may make from time to time.

We will ensure that disabled customers are provided with a priority fault repair service, when in need of an urgent repair, free of charge.

We will provide special measures for disabled subscribers to appoint a nominee who will be able to discuss the account on their behalf.  This will include circumstances such as; request a bill to be initially sent, to establish why a bill has not been paid shall be paid, permitting the subscribers bill on their behalf, whilst not making the nominee liable for the bill.

We will ensure that any contract (or any subsequent variation) with that Subscriber for the provision of Public Electronic Communications Services, including any publicly available terms or conditions referred to in that contract or variation, any End-of-Contract Notification, any Annual Best Tariff Notification, any Bill rendered or made available in respect of those services and any other communications (other than marketing communications) which relate to their services. An acceptable format, for these purposes, includes for example: print large enough for such Subscriber to read, print on coloured paper, Braille or an electronic format appropriate to the reasonable needs of the Subscriber.

We will ensure, upon request, we make available free of charge to any Customer who requires it because of their disabilities, any Contract Information or Contract Summary, in a reasonably acceptable format. An acceptable format, for these purposes, includes for example: print large enough for such Customer to read, print on coloured paper, Braille or an electronic format

We will consult the Consumer Panel on request to ensure that the requirements and interests of End-Users with disabilities and Consumers whose circumstances may make them vulnerable are fully taken into account in the development and provision of their services.

Vulnerability Policy

Digital Fibre operates a culture of customer satisfaction specific to the telecommunications industry. Our aim is to provide a personal, friendly approach to all of our customers. In particular, we want to provide additional support as required for any customer with any specific needs in relation to any accessibility or vulnerability they may be experiencing. Our classification of a ‘vulnerable’ customer is as follows: - “Someone who is susceptible to additional risk of detriment, mis-selling and or unfair treatment due to personal circumstances which can change over time”. “Such circumstances can include age, physical location, income, bereavement and communications difficulties due to physical or learning disability and or physical or mental illness”.

We are committed to:

1. Training staff to recognise where a customer may potentially be vulnerable, require additional support or have a specific need.

2. The support of any customer with any short; mid or longer term special needs

3. The development and implementation of any tools or process to support our customers with any physical, emotional or hardship needs

4. Implementing a staff culture of empathetic support for any vulnerable customers with any difficulty they may face in respect of their services provided by Digital Fibre

5. Notify Senior Management of any vulnerable customers who may need support, no matter the circumstances.

6. Enhanced Technical Support for all vulnerable customers. Additional Support Emergency SMS is a UK service which provides customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired access to the emergency services using an SMS text to 999, you will need to register your mobile phone in order to use this service. A Text Relay Service is available for those who are hearing impaired or speech impaired. Please talk to us. Please let us know if you have any concerns. Our dedicated UK based Customer Service Team is on hand to discuss your individual needs.

Digital Fibre - Customer Complaints Code

At Digital Fibre, we are committed to delivering the best possible service. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we want to hear from you so we can resolve the issue as quickly and effectively as possible. Please follow the steps outlined below to submit and resolve your complaint.

We pride ourselves to try and achieve customer satisfaction, in doing so we are able to tailor our products and pricing to your needs.

Step 1: Contact Us

If you are unhappy with our service, the first step is to contact our Customer Service Team. We encourage you to provide as much detail as possible so we can fully understand and address the issue.

You can contact us via:

• Address: Digital Fibre, 4a Castle View Mews, Castle Hill, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1LA

• Phone: 0330 912 2819 

• Email: support@digitalfibre.uk

Please have your account number and any relevant details to hand when you contact us.

Step 2: Acknowledgement of Complaint

Once we have received your complaint, we will acknowledge it within 2 working days. You will receive an acknowledgment email or call confirming that we have received your complaint and are looking into it.

Step 3: Investigation

We will begin investigating your complaint and aim to resolve it as quickly as possible. Our team will review the details of your case, including the nature of the complaint and any supporting information you’ve provided.

We commit to resolving all complaints within 5 working days. If the investigation is likely to take longer, we will inform you of the reason for the delay and provide an updated timeline for resolution.

Step 4: Resolution

Once we have completed our investigation, we will contact you with our findings and the steps we are taking to resolve the issue. This may involve:

• Offering a solution or compensation (if applicable)

• Correcting the service provided

• Providing clarification on the issue

Step 5: If You Are Not Satisfied

If you are not satisfied with the resolution, you can escalate your complaint to a higher level of management. We will review your case again and ensure that all aspects of your complaint are properly addressed.

If your complaint has reached a point where no further resolution can be reached between us, a deadlock will be provided.

Additionally, if you are still not happy after this escalation, you can contact the CISAS. CISAS is an independent body that can help resolve complaints when the issue remains unresolved after 8 weeks.

Additional Requirements

If you require any of our documents in a different format, such as braille, we are able to provide hard copies upon request free of charge. 

Key Contacts for Complaints

• CISAS Address:  CISAS, Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme, 100 St Paul's Churchyard, London EC4M 8BU

• CISAS:  020 7520 3814

• CISAS Email: cisas@cedr.com

• CISAS Website: https://www.cedr.com/consumer/cisas/make-a-complaint/

Our Commitment to You

We take all complaints seriously and strive to improve our services based on the feedback we receive. Our aim is to resolve any issue in a fair and efficient manner, keeping you informed throughout the process.

Thank you for being a valued Digital Fibre customer.

Early termination charges are calculated on an individual basis, the method by which they are calculated is by your monthly package price multiplied by the remaining length of the contract term. We have set an Early Termination charge cap at £299 for all customers.

If you terminate your contract within your contract term, a termination charge will apply.  We have provided an example of how your early termination charge will be calculated. Please be aware when calculating Early Termination Charges, we will take into consideration any discounts being received and any savings to the company for no longer suppling the service.

EXAMPLE: If your monthly package price is £24.99 and the term left on your contract is 9 months, this would be calculated like below:

£24.99 × 9 = £224.91

EXAMPLE: If your Early Termination Charge exceeds £299

£59.99 × 19 = £1,139.91

This meaning your Early termination charge will be reduced to £299.