UK’s landlines are getting an internet upgrade

UK becomes the latest to announce an internet-based alternative for traditional copper-wire landlines.

Photo by George Chandrinos on Unsplash

Landline operators in the UK are planning to replace every home phone with internet-based connections. According to the BBC, This would effectively get rid of the traditional copper wire network, or better known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

But why?

PSTN provides the infrastructure and services for public communications around the world. It’s a modern version of 19th-century technology that enables direct connections between telephones. Over the years, technological advancements have expanded communications well beyond the simple landline. Today, thanks to the internet, fixed telephone lines themselves are shrinking in demand.

As such, there’s very little incentive to maintain a landline. One survey suggests that about 40% of the population has stopped using them completely in the UK.

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

The biggest motivations for moving to an internet-based alternative for landlines are cost-effectiveness and the possible…