Replacement of Analogue Telephony Lines

The Council is awarding a contract to BT for the continued use of analogue service and their PDPL solution from 1st October 2025 until 30th September 2029 to allow this rationalisation process to complete and to undertake the procurement of the new single digital services contract.

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), including copper analogue services currently provided by Openreach, is ceasing. All PSTN services are required to transition to a digital solution before Openreach ceases all analogue provision (presently scheduled for January 2027, although exchanges will close before that date).

Throughout the City of Edinburgh Council (the Council) estate, the current analogue service is to be provided for as long as possible, whilst the Council identifies lines required and solutions for a future upgrade to a digital service.

The Council intend to novate analogue fixed lines from O2 and Enterprise Broadband lines from CGI, so all analogue services are with a single provider, in preparation for entering the market for a full digital solution.

To ensure services continue to be provided to the circa 1,500 lines which support telephones, lifts, alarms, traffic lights and other infrastructure currently on an analogue line, we require BT to continue to support, whilst the Council identify which lines require transition to which digital solution, and we cease analogue lines where no longer in use or required.

The Council will also be adopting Pre-Digital Phone Lines (PDPL) for some lines until the transition of the estate equipment, so it can accept a digital solution.. Contract will run from 1st January 2026 until 31st December 2029.

Contract with British Telecommunications PLC is subject to agreeing terms.