Copper Line Price Increases – What You Need to Know

With the upcoming PSTN switch-off, the cost of maintaining older copper-based services is rising sharply—and this will have a direct impact on businesses still using traditional phone lines.

Across industry sources, Openreach has confirmed three staged price increases during 2026:

• April 2026: +20% increase on copper line rental

• July 2026: +40% increase on the April price

• October 2026: +40% increase, effectively doubling costs compared to the start of the year

By October, businesses still using copper-based services could be paying around twice as much as earlier in the year, for services that are due to be withdrawn just a few months later.

It’s also important to note that these increases are network dependent, and some providers may apply higher charges than those outlined above, depending on their pricing structure.

Openreach has made it clear that the copper network is now outdated, more expensive to maintain, and increasingly difficult to support. As a result, these rising costs are being passed through providers and ultimately to customers.

All services that rely on copper lines—including phone systems, alarms, and payment terminals—will need to move to digital alternatives before January 2027. With the deadline approaching and demand expected to increase, leaving this too late could lead to higher costs and potential disruption.

Moving to a digital solution not only avoids these rising charges but also ensures your services remain reliable and fit for the future.

To avoid rising costs and ensure a smooth transition, please contact your account manager directly. Alternatively, you can reach us on 03300 240223 or via email at info@can-solutions.co.uk.