Short answer: Older card terminals that dial out over an analogue phone line will stop when the copper network is switched off by January 2027. Modern terminals use broadband or 4G, and your payment provider usually swaps the machine as part of a normal refresh. The point to plan is a reliable connection for it. This sits within the wider PSTN and ISDN switch off.
Why card terminals are affected
Some older chip-and-pin machines, often called PDQ terminals, authorise transactions by dialling out over an analogue phone line. When that line is withdrawn, the terminal loses its route to the payment network. For retail, hospitality and any business taking card payments, that means no card transactions until it is replaced.
What stops working
- Dial-up PDQ card terminals on an analogue line
- Older EPOS tills that authorise card payments over a phone line
- Backup terminals kept on a phone line for redundancy
What to do
- Contact your payment provider (for example Worldpay, Barclaycard, Square or SumUp) for a broadband or 4G terminal. Most swap the unit at no cost during their standard refresh.
- Make sure the connection is ready. A broadband terminal needs reliable internet, so this is the moment to review your line and add failover.
- Plan resilience. If card payments are critical, a 4G or 5G failover keeps you trading if the broadband drops.
Frequently asked questions
Will my card machine stop working after the PSTN switch off?
Older card terminals that dial out over an analogue phone line will lose that line when the copper network is switched off by January 2027. Modern terminals use broadband or 4G instead. Contact your payment provider, who will usually swap the terminal as part of their normal equipment refresh.
Who replaces a card terminal on a phone line?
Your card payment provider, such as Worldpay, Barclaycard, Square or SumUp, supplies the replacement terminal. In most cases they swap it at no cost. We can make sure your broadband or 4G is ready for it.
Does a broadband card terminal need reliable internet?
Yes. Once payments move to broadband, an internet outage means no card payments, so a resilient connection with 4G failover is worth planning, especially in retail and hospitality.
Worried about card payments during the switch over?
We can review your connection and failover so card payments keep working when your terminal moves off the phone line. See the full ISDN and PSTN switch off guide.