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Voice over Internet Protocol: Lewes

Asked by James MacClearyLiberal DemocratDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 9 June 2026UIN 5540

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of migration from analogue landlines to Digital Voice in Lewes constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK, including in Lewes.

Over 92% of PSTN landlines have already been migrated to VoIP. As of 31 March 2026, fewer than 2.8 million PSTN lines remain operational, down from 35.2 million PSTN lines at the network’s peak.

In March 2026, the Government and industry agreed a new Fixed Telecoms Modernisation Charter to extend safeguards agreed in November 2024 to all future fixed telecoms modernisation programmes to help ensure that all customers are migrated safely.

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