Phones and broadband for pubs: key facts
- Openreach stopped selling new analogue phone lines in September 2023. The deadline for moving everyone from the PSTN and ISDN to digital services is 31 January 2027.
- In pubs, alarm signalling, older card terminals, lift lines, payphones, fax and franking machines, and some CCTV or EPOS systems may still use a copper line.
- Digital phones need mains power at your premises, so they stop in a power cut unless there is battery backup.
- A 4G or 5G backup, or card terminals that can switch to mobile data, helps keep payments going if the broadband fails.
- Guest Wi-Fi should be a separate network from tills and card machines. If a sign-in page collects details for marketing, UK GDPR and PECR apply.
- Tied pubs should check their agreement first, as the pub company may supply Wi-Fi or EPOS.
Why does a pub need different broadband from other small businesses?
A pub relies on one connection for card payments, the till, guest Wi-Fi, music and sometimes live sport, all at once on its busiest nights. A fault at peak time costs trade straight away, so reliability and fix times matter as much as speed.
Pubs also open late, run lots of devices on one connection, often have old kit on old phone lines, and offer Wi-Fi to the public. If you live above the pub, decide early whether the flat shares the business connection or has its own.
What does the PSTN switch-off mean for pubs?
The copper phone network (PSTN) and ISDN are being retired, and everyone must move to digital phone and broadband services by 31 January 2027. Anything in your pub that uses an old phone line needs checking before your line is migrated.
Calls will instead run over broadband, often called digital voice or VoIP. Openreach, which runs most UK phone lines, stopped selling new analogue lines in September 2023. Your provider will usually contact you about migrating, but it is up to you to check what else in the building depends on the old line.
What in a pub might still rely on a copper phone line?
The usual items are intruder and fire alarm signalling, older card terminals, lift emergency phones, payphones, fax and franking machines, and some CCTV or EPOS systems that dial out.
Look for anything plugged into a phone socket or wired back to the master socket.
| Equipment | Why it matters | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Intruder and fire alarms | Monitored alarms may signal over the phone line. Your insurer may require monitoring. | Alarm installer or monitoring company |
| Card terminals | Some older terminals dial out over a phone line. | Card terminal provider |
| Lift emergency phone | Must keep working. | Lift maintenance company |
| Payphone | Usually runs on an analogue line. | Payphone owner or line provider |
| Fax and franking | May dial out over the line. | Machine supplier |
| CCTV and EPOS | Some older systems use a line for remote access or back-office data. | CCTV or EPOS supplier |
Some kit works on a digital line with an adapter; some needs upgrading. Only the supplier can say for certain.
What should a pub check before switching to digital phones?
List everything on your phone lines, ask each supplier whether it works on digital, and book the switch for a quiet time. Afterwards, test every device before you rely on it.
- Find your lines. Check bills for every line and number, including forgotten alarm or payphone lines.
- Ask each supplier in writing whether their kit will work on digital, and the cost if not.
- Check with your insurer if your policy depends on a monitored alarm.
- Pick a quiet day, not a match day or weekend, and make sure your numbers are being moved across.
- Test afterwards: an alarm test signal, a card payment, calls in and out, and the lift line.
Will the pub phone work in a power cut?
Not on its own. Copper phones drew power from the line, but digital phones run through a router that needs mains power at your premises.
Ask your provider about battery backup and how long it lasts, keep a charged mobile for 999 calls, and ask your alarm company how the alarm signals without mains power. Card terminals with their own battery and mobile data may keep going for a while, but tills on mains power will not.
How can a pub keep card payments working if the broadband goes down?
Give payments a backup route: card terminals that switch to a mobile data SIM, a 4G or 5G router that takes over when the main line fails, or a second broadband line from a different network.
Backup mobile connections are usually slower but enough for payments and the till. Check the mobile signal behind the bar and in the beer garden, ask your terminal provider how its terminals behave when the connection drops, and whether backup data costs extra.
What should a pub think about when offering guest Wi-Fi?
Keep guest Wi-Fi separate from your tills, card machines and CCTV, filter unsuitable content, and follow UK GDPR and PECR if your sign-in page collects details for marketing.
Separate network. Most business routers can run a separate guest network. This keeps customers' devices away from payment and business systems, and limiting guest bandwidth stops a full pub slowing the till.
Content filtering. If families use your Wi-Fi, consider filtering. The Friendly WiFi scheme is a UK certification for public Wi-Fi that filters pornography and child sexual abuse material.
Sign-in pages. If a splash page collects names, emails or social logins, that is personal data under UK GDPR. To send marketing emails or texts, PECR generally requires clear consent, so don't make marketing a hidden or pre-ticked condition of using the Wi-Fi, and explain what you collect in a privacy notice.
How much broadband speed does a pub need?
It depends on what shares the line at your busiest time. Payments and the till need very little, but streamed live sport on several screens, music services, cloud CCTV and busy guest Wi-Fi add up quickly.
Ask your sports or TV service what connection it recommends for commercial premises, and don't forget upload speed, which digital calls and cloud CCTV use. A provider can check what is available at your postcode; treat any speed as a rough guide until it is installed.
Should a pub get full fibre, FTTC or 4G/5G broadband?
Full fibre is usually the fastest and most reliable where available. FTTC is widely available but slows with distance from the street cabinet. 4G or 5G suits some rural pubs, or works as a backup.
| Type | How it works | For a pub |
|---|---|---|
| Full fibre (FTTP) | Fibre all the way into the building | Fast and consistent, with good upload. May need a new cable in. |
| FTTC | Fibre to the cabinet, copper to the pub | Widely available; speed depends on distance from the cabinet. |
| 4G or 5G | A router with a SIM card | Useful in rural areas or as a backup; thick walls can weaken signal. |
| Leased line | Dedicated fibre, not shared | For larger venues; usually costlier, with longer contracts. |
What is a business broadband SLA and does a pub need one?
A service level agreement (SLA) sets out what the provider promises, such as a target fix time and support hours. Home broadband rarely has one, and for a pub relying on card payments it is worth checking closely.
Ask whether the fix time counts evenings and weekends, whether support is open when you are, whether you get credit if a target is missed, and whether a backup connection or static IP address is included. A target is not a guarantee.
What should a pub check in a phone and broadband contract?
Check the length, what happens at the end, how prices can rise and the early termination charges. Ofcom gives extra protections to many small businesses, and tied pubs should check what the pub company already supplies.
- Length and renewal: how long it runs, whether it rolls over, and how much notice you must give.
- Early termination charges: what it costs to leave early, for example if you give up the tenancy.
- Price rises and equipment: how prices can change, and whether routers and phones are bought or rented.
- Separate contracts: alarm monitoring, card terminals, payphones and TV services often have their own.
Ofcom protections. Ofcom extends some consumer protections to small businesses. For example, qualifying small businesses should get a contract summary before signing, and businesses with ten or fewer employees should get a notice when their contract is ending. Which rules apply depends on your size and the service, so check Ofcom's guidance or ask the provider.
Tied pubs. Some pub companies supply or require particular Wi-Fi, EPOS or TV services; others leave it to you. Read your agreement before signing anything.
Where can a pub find help with energy and other utilities?
See our guide to business energy for pubs for cellar cooling, kitchens and energy contracts, and our business phones and broadband guide for the switch-off and VoIP in more depth.
You can ask for energy and phone and broadband quotes on the same form. Just tick both boxes.
Related guides
Phones and broadband for pubs: frequently asked questions
When is the copper phone line switch-off?
The deadline for moving everyone from the analogue phone network (PSTN) and ISDN to digital services is 31 January 2027. Openreach stopped selling new analogue lines in September 2023.
Will my pub's card machine stop working when copper is switched off?
Only if it still dials out over a phone line. Most modern terminals use broadband, Wi-Fi or mobile data. Ask your terminal provider and take a test payment after migration.
Will my pub's alarm work after the switch to digital?
It depends how it signals. Monitored alarms that use the phone line may need a new communicator. Ask your alarm company before migration and for a test signal afterwards.
Do digital phones work in a power cut?
Not without backup power, because the router needs mains electricity. Ask your provider about battery backup and keep a charged mobile for emergencies.
Should guest Wi-Fi be on the same network as the till?
No. Keep guest Wi-Fi separate from tills, card terminals and CCTV to protect payment systems and stop busy guest use slowing the till.
Can I use my Wi-Fi sign-in page to build a marketing list?
UK GDPR applies to the details you collect, and PECR generally requires clear consent before marketing emails or texts. Don't use pre-ticked boxes or hide consent in the terms.
What is the best type of broadband for a pub?
Full fibre is usually fastest and most reliable where available. FTTC is widespread but slows with distance, and 4G or 5G can suit rural pubs or act as a backup.
Can I use home broadband in my pub?
Home broadband is generally meant for residential use and rarely includes business fix times or out-of-hours support, which matter more when payments depend on it.
I run a tied pub. Can I choose my own broadband?
It depends on your agreement. Some pub companies supply or require particular Wi-Fi, EPOS or TV services. Check your lease or tenancy before signing.
Does Business Utilities Hub give telecoms advice?
No. We publish general guides and, with your consent, pass quote requests to telecoms providers and energy brokers we work with. We may be paid for introductions.