Short answer: A lift emergency phone on an analogue line will lose that line when the copper network is switched off by January 2027. A lift must keep a reliable two-way emergency link, so the phone needs to move to a 4G GSM gateway or an IP lift telephone, planned and tested with your lift maintenance company. This is part of the wider PSTN and ISDN switch off.
Why lift phones matter more than most devices
A lift emergency phone is a life-safety device. If someone is trapped, it is the link that reaches help. Many existing lift autodiallers were installed to work over an analogue phone line, and that line is being withdrawn. Unlike an office phone, a lift phone cannot simply be switched off and sorted out later.
What stops working
- Lift autodiallers connected to an analogue phone line
- Any lift phone whose only path to a monitoring service is copper
- Older units that assume a permanently powered analogue line
What to do
- Move to a 4G GSM gateway that gives the existing autodialler a mobile path, or fit an IP or 4G lift telephone.
- Involve your lift maintenance company, who is responsible for the lift's safety systems and can advise on the correct unit.
- Test the full call path to the monitoring service, including battery back-up during a power cut, before the analogue line is removed.
Compliance: lift emergency communication is a safety obligation. Any change of communication path should be assessed individually and signed off with your lift maintainer. Treat this as a priority migration with time to test, not a last-minute swap.
Frequently asked questions
Will a lift emergency phone stop working after the PSTN switch off?
If the lift phone uses an analogue line, it will lose that line when the copper network is switched off by January 2027. A lift must keep a working two-way emergency communication link, so it needs to move to a 4G GSM gateway or an IP-based lift phone before the line is removed.
Is a working lift emergency phone a legal requirement?
Lifts used by people are expected to provide a reliable two-way means of raising an alarm to a monitoring service. Because this is a safety obligation, any change of communication path should be planned and tested with your lift maintenance company, not left to chance.
What replaces an analogue lift line?
Common replacements are a 4G GSM gateway that gives the existing autodialler a mobile path, or an IP or 4G lift telephone. Your lift maintainer advises on the right option for your installation.
Have a lift on an old phone line?
We can check how your lift phone connects and coordinate with your lift maintainer on the right 4G or IP replacement. See the full ISDN and PSTN switch off guide.