When full fibre arrives at your premises, there's a detail that surprises a lot of business owners: there's no phone line on it. Full fibre is broadband only - so what happens to your landline? This guide explains how voice works on FTTP and what you need to plan for.
Full fibre is broadband, not a phone line
FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) runs a fibre-optic cable all the way into your building. It's fast, reliable and future-proof - but it's purely a data connection. Unlike the old copper, there's no analogue phone signal riding alongside it.
That's not a flaw; it's the whole direction of travel. As the PSTN switch-off retires copper voice by January 2027, voice is expected to run over your internet connection rather than on a dedicated line.
So where do your calls go?
On full fibre, your business phone service becomes an internet-based one:
- A Digital Voice line for a simple, like-for-like landline.
- A hosted telephony system if you have a team or need call routing, DDI and features.
The fibre carries both your data and your calls. Because full fibre is fast and stable, call quality is typically excellent - quality issues are almost always elsewhere on the network, as we cover in common VoIP problems.
FTTP vs SoGEA for voice
If full fibre isn't available at your address yet, SoGEA is the common interim - broadband without a phone line over the existing infrastructure. Both remove the analogue line; FTTP simply offers more speed and resilience. When FTTP is available, it's usually the better long-term home for your voice service.
What you need to plan for
Moving voice onto full fibre is straightforward, but three things deserve attention:
- Power - the fibre equipment and router need mains power, so plan for backup if you need calls during an outage. See landline resilience and failover.
- Your number - it ports to the new service; nothing is lost. See keeping your landline number.
- Other devices - alarms, lifts and card terminals that used the old line need their own plan. See devices that rely on phone lines.
The upside
Putting voice on full fibre isn't just a workaround - it's a genuine upgrade:
- One fast connection handling data and calls.
- Modern features included rather than charged as extras.
- No separate line rental for a copper line.
- Room to grow - add users without engineer visits.
For the wider list of options, see analogue line replacement.
The bottom line
Full fibre has no built-in phone line, so on FTTP your calls move onto the internet connection itself - keeping your number while gaining speed, features and lower line costs. Plan for power resilience and your other line-connected devices, and the move is smooth. Want help? Explore our Connectivity and Cloud Telephony services, or request a callback.
Frequently asked questions
Does full fibre (FTTP) include a phone line?
No. Full fibre is a data-only connection with no separate analogue phone line. Your phone service runs over the internet connection instead, using a digital or hosted voice service.
Can I still have a landline number on full fibre?
Yes. Your existing geographic number is ported to an internet-based voice service that runs over the fibre, so customers keep dialling the same number.
Is call quality good on full fibre?
Generally excellent, because full fibre is fast and stable. Most call quality problems come from elsewhere on a network rather than from full fibre itself.
What happens to my phone in a power cut on full fibre?
Because the fibre equipment and router need mains power, calls won't work in a power cut unless you've added battery backup or set up mobile failover. Plan for this if uninterrupted calls matter.
