The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) has carried the world’s voice traffic since the late 1800s. It enabled long-distance and international calling over analog copper lines, forming the backbone of global communication for more than a century. However, the system was designed for a different era—one with fixed locations, circuit-switched calls, and limited scalability.
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) has been the backbone of voice communications since the late 1800s. For over a century, analog copper lines carried local, long-distance, and international calls, enabling global connectivity. But this infrastructure was built for a world of fixed locations, circuit-switched calls, and limited scalability.
Starting in the late 1990s, fiber-optic networks began rolling out, offering:
- Higher bandwidth for voice and data
- Lower latency and improved reliability
- Support for VoIP and cloud communications
Over the past decade, national telecoms have systematically retired copper networks and transitioned voice traffic to IP-based systems, setting the stage for the global PSTN switch-off.
PSTN Switch Off in Motion
Across the globe, countries are progressing through different phases of PSTN switch off—some with clear timelines, others moving quietly. Our review of 194 countries shows that while most are in transition, a growing number have completed their shift to all-IP infrastructure.
Global Leaders in PSTN Retirement
A small group of early adopters has already retired their copper-based PSTN systems:
- 🇳🇴 Norway: One of the first movers, Norway completed its nationwide transition to digital voice infrastructure by 2022.
- 🇸🇪 Sweden: Sweden switched off PSTN back in 2010, with Telia confirming over 90% of copper networks closed by the end of 2023.
- 🇩🇪 Germany: Germany’s shutdown began in 2018. However, limited communication from providers led to businesses missing critical migration timelines.
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands: Fully transitioned to VoIP and fiber, enabling more advanced and reliable telecom infrastructure.
- 🇪🇪 Estonia: Telia Estonia decommissioned its copper-based services in 2017.
- 🇸🇬 Singapore: National operator Singtel completed copper shutdown in 2020, pushing both broadband and voice services fully onto IP-based networks.
- 🇯🇵 Japan: Has transitioned its PSTN services to IP, although the rollout may still be uneven across regions.
- 🇪🇸 Spain: Telefónica finalized the PSTN and copper network phase-out in early 2024 after an eight-year transition effort.
- 🇧🇧 Barbados: Flow, the incumbent telecom provider, has retired its copper network, moving voice traffic entirely onto modern digital infrastructure.
Countries in Active Transition
Meanwhile, dozens of other countries are actively transitioning:
- 🇺🇸 United States: Major carriers are phasing out PSTN on a regional basis, investing heavily in fiber and VoIP, though there’s no single national shutdown date.
- 🇨🇦 Canada: Migration is in progress, with a growing shift toward digital voice and fiber-optic backbones.
- 🇦🇺 Australia: PSTN shutdown is tied to the National Broadband Network (NBN), which is progressively replacing copper lines with IP-based alternatives.
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand: Undergoing phased copper decommissioning as part of a nationwide fiber and VoIP migration plan.
- 🇫🇷 France: Orange has committed to a gradual copper shutdown, aiming for national completion by 2030.
- 🇵🇹 Portugal: Over 60% of copper infrastructure has been retired in favor of fiber.
- 🇮🇹 Italy: National rollout is underway, beginning in regions like Taranto, as the country expands its fiber network.
Other countries that have officially announced a plan for phasing out PSTN (or have done so via local telecom operator) include Brunei, Bahamas, Finland, Australia, Chile, United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Auustria, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China.
Impact on business
While PSTN shutdowns often align with copper retirement, the real impact hits businesses at the operational level.
The PSTN switch off affects businesses well beyond the underlying technology. It changes how organizations manage communication across markets and introduces new operational and regulatory dynamics. Here’s a breakdown of the key pros and cons.
Pros:
- Greater scalability and flexibility: VoIP allows businesses to expand voice services quickly, without the physical limitations of copper lines.
- Cost savings: IP-based systems reduce long-distance charges, lower infrastructure maintenance costs, and support unified communications.
- Enhanced functionality: Features like call routing, video conferencing, and integrations with CRMs are easier to deploy with cloud-based systems.
- Improved service reliability: Fiber offers lower latency and fewer service interruptions compared to aging copper infrastructure.
Cons:
- Unexpected outages: In markets where PSTN has been quietly decommissioned, businesses may face service disruptions with little warning.
- Number provisioning challenges: Without clear roadmaps, porting numbers or acquiring local DIDs can be difficult or delayed.
- Compliance risks: Regulatory frameworks vary, and voice services must still meet emergency calling, data retention, and local presence requirements.
- Legacy equipment incompatibility: Fax machines, alarm systems, and analog phones may require workarounds or upgrades.
Business risk factors
The lack of coordinated communication from telecoms and regulators creates significant blind spots for enterprises.
If your operations depend on local PSTN access—whether for DIDs, emergency services, or even analog fax fallback—an invisible or unannounced shutdown could result in complete service loss. This is especially important for businesses operating in multiple regions where migration timelines may vary and transparency is inconsistent.
Incomplete or unclear PSTN phase-out information creates tangible risk for:
- Multinational UCaaS or CCaaS deployments that require local number availability
- Contact centers that rely on stable call routing and compliance with telephony regulations
- Verticals operating in regulated markets where number sourcing and retention are tightly controlled
Being caught unaware can potentially disrupt customer experience, delay deployments, and expose the business to compliance penalties. That’s why PSTN migration is a visibility, readiness, and risk management issue, as much as it is a tech issue.
Why It Matters for Global Providers
The lack of coordinated communication from telecoms and regulators creates significant blind spots for enterprises.
If your operations depend on local PSTN access—whether for DIDs, emergency services, or even analog fax fallback—an invisible or unannounced shutdown could result in complete service loss. This is especially important for businesses operating in multiple regions where migration timelines may vary and transparency is inconsistent.
Incomplete or unclear PSTN phase-out information creates tangible risk for:
- Multinational UCaaS or CCaaS deployments that require local number availability
- Contact centers that rely on stable call routing and compliance with telephony regulations
- Verticals operating in regulated markets where number sourcing and retention are tightly controlled
Being caught unaware can potentially disrupt customer experience, delay deployments, and expose the business to compliance penalties. That’s why PSTN migration is a visibility, readiness, and risk management issue, as much as it is a tech issue.
What to Do Now
For IT leaders, global network teams, and voice service providers, this is a good time to take decisive, proactive steps:
- Audit PSTN dependencies on a per-country basis. Know where you’re still relying on copper or legacy lines.
- Monitor regulatory and operator disclosures. Don’t rely on official government bulletins alone—track updates from incumbent carriers as well.
- Plan for alternate VoIP pathways in at-risk regions. Identify backup providers and solutions in countries with incomplete PSTN support.
- Document hybrid and edge cases. For markets in limbo or operating on mixed infrastructure, develop contingency playbooks that account for emergency services and analog equipment dependencies.
- Assess regulatory risk. Stay ahead of shifting telecom requirements for emergency calling, lawful intercept, and local hosting.
As the global PSTN switch off progresses in patches, voice leaders will be treating this as an ongoing monitoring and migration task.
PSTN Switch Off: The End Is Closer Than It Looks
The PSTN isn’t disappearing all at once. But it is disappearing. And the transitions aren’t always visible.
This major technical upgrade brings with it a foundational shift in how the world communicates. For businesses, the cost of waiting for formal announcements could be steep and in many regions, the shutdown has already happened quietly. In others, it’s happening in pieces, with little warning and even less coordination.
Organizations that navigate this transition most effectively are the ones that prioritize planning, visibility, and adaptability across their telecom environments.
