Legacy telecoms price increases
The UK telecoms industry is going through a major change as older, copper-based services are withdrawn and replaced with modern digital networks.
As part of this transition, network and wholesale providers are increasing prices on legacy telecoms services to encourage customers to move away from technology that is nearing end of life.
This page explains what’s changing, what we mean by “legacy”, and what your options are.
What's Changing
From 1 February 2026, the monthly charges for legacy telecoms services will increase by 25%.
This increase is supplier-led and industry-wide strategy to migrate from the PSTN copper network by 31 January 2027. It is not a discretionary price rise by Babble. Similar changes are being introduced across the market as providers prepare for the withdrawal of legacy networks.
Importantly, this is unlikely to be the final price rise in 2026. Providers have been clear that pricing will continue to be used as a lever to accelerate migration away from legacy services. For customers who remain on legacy technology mid-year, further increases are expected, and in some cases, prices are likely to double over time.
Why is this happening now?
The UK PSTN switch-off is scheduled for 31 January 2027. After this date, analogue copper-based services will no longer be supported.
To support this transition during 2026:
- Wholesale and network providers are removing pricing regulation
- Legacy services are becoming more expensive to maintain
- Price increases are being used to reinforce the need to migrate
Some providers have already begun issuing termination notices for certain legacy services.
What do we mean by “legacy” technology?
In this context, legacy technology refers to older services delivered over copper infrastructure that are being phased out nationally, including:
- WLR line rental and ISDN services (ISDN2 / ISDN30)
- PSTN single analogue lines
- ADSL and older FTTC broadband variants
- Analogue services used for alarms, lifts, fax and PDQ
If you’re unsure whether this applies to your services, your Account Manager can confirm this for you. You may well find that impacted products are called different things on your invoice depending on the provider. These would include terms such as Broadband, Business, Single Line or Analogue.
Will my service stop working?
There is no immediate change to how your services works as a result of these price increases.
However, as legacy services approach withdrawal, suppliers will reduce investment and support. Over time, this increases the risk of faults, delays, or service termination if alternatives are not put in place. You will need to have taken action in the next few months to ensure you can be confident of avoiding negative impacts.
Will this be the only price increase?
No. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be the final price increase in 2026. Network providers have been clear that further price increases will continue to be used to ensure customers migrate away from legacy services before the switch-off.
How this relates to Babble’s regular price reviews
We recognise that this increase sits outside our normal annual pricing cycle. This change is being driven by supplier cost increases linked to the withdrawal of legacy services, and unfortunately these costs cannot be absorbed.
Pricing for modern, non-legacy services continues to be reviewed regularly as part of our standard process. These reviews are separate from, and not driven by, the retirement of legacy technology referenced above.
In line with industry practice, customers may therefore see changes to pricing on non-legacy services during 2026 following our usual review process.
What options do you have?
You do have choices.
You can remain on legacy services in the short-term, in which case:
- The 25% increase will apply from February 2026
- Further increases are expected later in the year
- Long-term support and service continuity cannot be guaranteed
However you will need to have taken action in the coming months to ensure service continuity.
The strong recommendation is to move to modern, digital services designed for long-term use at the earliest opportunity. These typically offer:
- Greater reliability and resilience
- Better performance and scalability
- More predictable pricing
- Compatibility with cloud and modern applications
Leaving the decision until the end of the year risks leaving you exposed to service discontinuation or degradation.
What do we typically recommend?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but in most cases we recommend moving to IP-based services supported by full-fibre connectivity.
For the majority of customers, this means:
- Unified Communications or SIP-based voice
- FTTP or Ethernet leased line connectivity
- A minimum data speed of 100Mbps, where available
Some customers may need to move in stages (for example, replacing voice services first and connectivity later). Your Account Manager will help plan the right approach based on your current setup and location.
Common scenarios and typical next steps
What should I do next?
If you’re using legacy services, the most important thing is to review your position early. Waiting increases cost and reduces flexibility.
If you know the name of your Account Manager contact them directly. Otherwise, reach out to Customer Experience to discuss what this means for your services and outline your options.
There are three ways to contact Customer Experience:
1. Fill out the Request a Call Back form at the top of the page
2. Email customerexperience@babble.cloud.
3. Call 0800 440 2959 (choose Option 5)
Helpful guidance on moving away from legacy services
The True Cost of Replacing Your Legacy PBX System
My PBX Still Works — So Why Should I Change It?
