Ensure Your Building Stays Connected After the PSTN Switch-Off
The PSTN switch-off has been talked about for a while now, but many buildings are still running on systems that rely on it every single day. With this network being retired, anything still using analogue will need updating, otherwise you’re looking at gaps in safety systems, unreliable backups and an increased amount of disruption.
Below is a simple breakdown of what’s changing, what it means for your building, and why mobile connectivity is about to become far more important than people realise.
What the PSTN Switch-Off Actually Means
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the old copper-based system that’s carried landline calls and analogue services for decades. This is phasing it out, with full withdrawal expected by the start of 2026. The aim is to move the country onto fully digital services, which are easier to maintain and far more efficient long term.
For businesses, the impact depends entirely on what you still have connected to those analogue lines.
Which Systems Inside Buildings Will Be Affected?
Many commercial buildings still run a surprising mix of analogue-dependent services, including:
Lift emergency lines
Intruder alarms and fire panels
Door entry and access control systems
Fax machines (still common in healthcare and legal sectors)
Payment terminals relying on PSTN fallback
Older monitoring equipment
Once the switch-off happens, any of these could stop working unless they’re replaced with an alternative.
Digital Replacements Depend on Reliable Connectivity
Every replacement option, whether internet-based or mobile-based, relies on strong digital connectivity.
If the building’s broadband goes down and the mobile signal is poor, your backup plan isn’t much of a backup. And once PSTN is gone, there’s no analogue line sitting quietly in the background to take over.
This means there is a huge amount of responsibility on the building’s mobile coverage. So if your building already struggles with indoor mobile signal, whether that's due to thick walls, insulation, basements or distance from the nearest mast, then the switch-off will only highlight the problem.
How Do Mobile Signal Boosters Help?
One of the most practical ways to prepare is to ensure the building has strong, consistent mobile coverage throughout. This is exactly the kind of situation mobile signal boosters are designed for, and Amplifi-Qx CEL-FI provides a compliant, reliable solution.
Amplifi-Qx CEL-FI systems:
Strengthen mobile coverage for all major networks
Work legally under Ofcom’s licence-exempt framework
Improve both 4G and 5G indoors
Support critical connectivity for alarms, lifts and staff
Keep businesses operational during outages or emergencies
A Note on Compliance
Ofcom’s rules on mobile repeaters are strict for a reason. Only compliant, licence-exempt systems like CEL-FI can be installed legally in the UK. The cheap, DIY boosters you often see sold online don’t meet these standards, and using them is actually illegal. They can interfere with the mobile networks, cause outages for nearby users, and lead to enforcement action.
For commercial buildings, compliance isn’t something you can overlook. Especially when the system supports safety equipment, emergency communication or anything tied to your legal responsibilities as a building operator.
Now Is the Time to Assess Your Building’s Signal
With the switch-off approaching, the best step you can take is to understand how your building currently performs. Each building has different requirements which is why it's best to start off with a free solution design and quote. With some floor plans and simple questions answered, we can see how you building's current mobile signal is and advice you on the next steps.