Telecommunications Modernisation
The UK’s telecoms infrastructure is being upgraded to ensure that services remain reliable, resilient, and able to meet the needs of households, businesses, and essential services across the country.
The UK’s existing fixed and mobile digital infrastructure is in the process of a once in a generation, multi-decade long upgrade. Fixed networks are being upgraded from copper lines to fibre cables. Mobile networks are seeing older 2G and 3G networks replaced by 4G and 5G networks.
Telecommunications modernisation supports productivity driven economic growth, improves network security, and provides a better service to customers. Customers are benefiting from improved reliability and lower fault rates, better call quality, faster download speeds, and greater digital inclusion.
These are privately owned networks and the decisions to upgrade are taken by communication providers or network operators. These decisions are often made due to necessity as older networks can be increasingly unreliable and prone to failure. The modernisation programmes are led by industry.
The modernisations are monitored by Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator. In addition, to protect customers during the modernisations the Government has worked with industry to put in place a series voluntary commitments and safeguards, in particular for vulnerable people and to prevent disruption to critical national infrastructure (CNI).
Written Ministerial Statements (WMS)
Mobile and Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Charters and Protocols (24 March 2026)
PSTN Migration National Telecare Communications Campaign (2 June 2025)
Connectivity Timeline
The connectivity timeline lists current dates for telecommunications modernisations supplied by network operators. This includes landline and mobile networks.
Fixed Telecoms Modernisation
Following work with the government, communications providers, wholesalers and network operators have signed voluntary industry charters to protect consumers and prevent disruption to critical national infrastructure during fixed telecoms modernisations.
Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Charter
The CNI Charter is a voluntary charter that sets out safeguards that communication providers and, where relevant, network operators have agreed to support customers with CNI assets during any current and future fixed telecoms modernisation.
Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Charter
The Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Charter sets out the principles and expectations that communication providers, network operators and wholesalers should follow when carrying out any current and future fixed telecoms modernisations.
Public Switched Telephone Network Charter and Network Operator Charter
The Public Switched Telephone Network Charter and separate Network Operator Charter set out voluntary industry commitments by communication providers and network operators respectively to protect vulnerable people when they are moved onto digital services.
More information on the PSTN migrations is available at the following link: moving landlines to digital technologies.
Further information is also available at: https://digitalphoneswitchover.com.
Additional Checklists and Protocols
The following publications set out in more detail what is expected of signatories of the Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Charter, PSTN Charter and PSTN Network Operator Charter with regards to the closure or upgrade of telecoms services or networks.
Mobile
2G Switch-Off Charter
The UK’s mobile network operators are retiring their 2G network. This enables the 2G spectrum to be used more efficiently for the faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks.
For an explanation on why 2G switch-off is happening, please refer to the following link: 2G - why is this happening.
Following work with the Government, mobile network operators and mobile virtual network operators have signed a voluntary charter to protect consumers and prevent disruption to critical national infrastructure during the 2G switch-off.