Openreach has warned that more than half a million UK business lines remain on legacy copper infrastructure and will face steep price rises as the Public Switched Telephone Network approaches its January 2027 switch-off.

A Century Old Network Reaches Its End

The Public Switched Telephone Network, known as the PSTN, has carried most UK phone calls for more than a century. Built on copper wiring and analogue switching systems, it has supported traditional landlines, fax machines, card terminals, alarm systems and lift emergency lines across the country.

BT Group, Openreach’s parent company, has confirmed that the PSTN will be fully retired by 31 January 2027. As part of that programme, Openreach is withdrawing products that depend on it, including Wholesale Line Rental services used by communications providers to deliver fixed line connectivity to homes and businesses.

In a statement published on its website, Openreach said the PSTN analogue network is obsolete, becoming harder to maintain and significantly more expensive to run. The company has stated that skills and spare parts are increasingly difficult to source, while digital services such as Voice over IP, where calls are transmitted over broadband rather than traditional phone lines, have become the industry standard.

Half A Million Business Lines Still To Migrate

Openreach’s latest figures show that around 2.8 million lines in total remain on the PSTN network, with more than half a million of those serving business premises.

James Lilley, Director of All IP at Openreach, said: “There’s no time left to stall. We’ve spent the last year ensuring telecare customers can be migrated safely through our ‘Prove Telecare’ service, removing the final barrier to the switch-off. Now, the reality is simple. The PSTN analogue network is obsolete, becoming harder to maintain and significantly more expensive to run. We are passing those costs on to providers who continue to sell legacy products.”

He added: “If your business is still on this copper service, you will start to pay a premium for a service that will be switched off in 12 months. Most major Communications Providers moved their customers to digital long ago. If your provider hasn’t contacted you, you need to ask why.”

The switch-off date has been fixed, and Openreach has stated that all technical barriers to migration, including protections for vulnerable telecare users, have now been addressed through its Prove Telecare service.

Price Increases On Legacy Services

Openreach has confirmed a staged series of wholesale price increases for legacy Wholesale Line Rental products during 2026. From 1 April 2026 prices will rise by 20 per cent. From 1 July 2026 they will increase by a further 40 per cent. From 1 October 2026 a final 40 per cent rise will apply, effectively doubling the rental cost of legacy lines compared with 2025 rates.

The wholesale price increases apply to legacy WLR products and are clearly intended to encourage the final migration to digital All IP services. Openreach has also previously confirmed a special pricing offer on migrations to SOGEA, a broadband product that does not require a traditional analogue phone line. In some cases, it is already cheaper to move to newer digital services than remain on older copper-based products.

Openreach has stated that the rising costs reflect the increasing expense of maintaining a shrinking analogue network as the industry moves towards fibre and IP-based connectivity.

Impact Beyond Traditional Phones

The implications extend beyond desk telephones. In fact, the PSTN underpins a wide range of connected systems in commercial and public buildings, and Openreach has highlighted how critical hardware including fire alarms, burglar alarms and payment terminals may still rely on copper lines.

The company’s latest data indicates that more than 12,000 lift lines and around 500 lines serving CCTV networks still require upgrades. Services such as ISDN, ADSL and FTTC broadband are also affected because they depend on the underlying copper infrastructure that supports the PSTN.

Organisations may, therefore, need to review not only voice services but also embedded systems that have operated for years without change.

Role Of Communications Providers

While many major communications providers have already migrated much of their customer base, Openreach has stated that some smaller or specialist providers have been slower to act. Businesses that remain with those providers should note that they may face increased risk as the deadline approaches, particularly if legacy equipment becomes harder to maintain.

Openreach has advised businesses not to assume they are unaffected and to contact their service provider if they are uncertain about their current arrangements.

Review Test Switch Process

Openreach is encouraging businesses to follow a three-stage process of review, test and switch. Businesses should begin by reviewing their connectivity estate to identify any equipment still relying on PSTN services. If there is uncertainty, they are advised to contact their service provider rather than assume migration has already taken place.

Testing can be carried out at Openreach’s test laboratories, where equipment can be checked for compatibility with All IP networks, and the company says that this service is available free of charge to help ensure devices will function correctly once migrated.

Businesses are, therefore, being urged to move to a suitable digital solution as soon as possible, and Openreach says it can offer resources to support the transition, including assistance for more complex or edge case scenarios where temporary solutions may be required.

Resilience And Power Cut Concerns

One of the key challenges associated with the transition relates to power resilience. For example, traditional copper phone lines can be powered from the exchange, meaning they may continue to function during local power cuts. However, digital voice services delivered over broadband require electricity at the customer’s premises. This means that, in the event of a power outage, access to phone services, including emergency calls, could be disrupted unless backup power is available. Communications providers are, therefore, issuing battery backup units to vulnerable customers, typically providing at least one hour of standby power.

This aspect of the transition has drawn some scrutiny from regulators and consumer groups, particularly following severe weather events in recent years that have disrupted power supplies. Industry guidance has emphasised the need to protect vulnerable users during migration to digital services.

Implications

For UK businesses, the remaining 12 months represent a critical planning period. The staged wholesale price increases create a direct financial impact for organisations that delay migration. Companies operating multiple sites or maintaining complex estates may require time to identify dependent systems and coordinate upgrades.

The retirement of the PSTN forms part of a broader national move towards digital, fibre-based connectivity. Openreach has made clear that the January 2027 deadline will not be extended and that the focus is now on completing the final phase of migration away from copper-based services.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The timeline is fixed and the cost signals are clear, which means inaction now carries both financial and operational risk. Businesses that fail to identify and migrate remaining copper-dependent services will face rising wholesale charges during 2026 and the possibility of service disruption as the withdrawal progresses. For organisations with critical systems such as alarms, payment infrastructure or lift lines, the issue is not simply about telephony but about continuity, compliance and safety.

For communications providers, particularly smaller or specialist firms, the final year before switch-off will test their ability to complete migrations at pace while maintaining service stability. Delays or poor communication could expose them to reputational damage and customer loss. At the same time, regulators and consumer bodies will continue to scrutinise resilience arrangements, especially around power cuts and protection for vulnerable users.

For UK businesses more broadly, the remaining 12 months represent a narrowing window to audit estates, budget for upgrades and ensure that digital alternatives are fully tested. The retirement of the PSTN marks the end of a long-standing infrastructure platform and the completion of a national move to All IP connectivity. The practical consequences now depend largely on how quickly organisations act to remove their dependence on copper and prepare for a fully digital network environment.

SpaceX is now prioritising plans to build what Elon Musk describes as a “self-growing city” on the Moon, placing it ahead of its long-stated ambition to establish a settlement on Mars.

A Public Reordering Of Priorities

Elon Musk announced on X that SpaceX is focusing first on the Moon rather than Mars. He wrote: “For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years.”

He added: “The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars.”

It Was Always Mars

For most of its 24-year history, SpaceX has presented Mars as its primary long-term destination. The new position does not abandon that objective, but does seem to change the order of SpaceX’s priorities. For example, in the same series of posts, Musk said SpaceX would “also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilisation and the Moon is faster.”

Why The Moon First?

Musk’s reasoning seems to centre on orbital mechanics and launch frequency. For example, travel to Mars depends on favourable alignment between Earth and Mars, which occurs approximately every 26 months. The journey itself takes around six months using current propulsion technology.

By contrast, missions to the Moon can launch roughly every 10 days, with a transit time of about two days. As highlighted by Musk: “It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city.”

This reference to iteration appears to relate to repeated testing and incremental development, which is an approach that SpaceX has used extensively in the development of its reusable rockets, particularly the Starship vehicle. Also, a closer destination allows more frequent missions, which in theory could enable faster engineering feedback and adjustment.

What Is Meant By A “Self Growing City”?

Musk has not published detailed technical plans for a lunar settlement, however the phrase “self-growing city” implies a base that can expand using local resources rather than relying entirely on supplies from Earth. This approach, which is not a new idea, is commonly described as in situ resource utilisation, meaning the extraction and processing of materials found on the Moon itself.

For example, lunar regolith, the powdery layer of dust and fragmented rock covering the surface, could potentially be used for construction. Water ice has also been identified in permanently shadowed craters near the lunar poles and could be processed into drinking water, breathable oxygen and rocket propellant. Developing such capabilities would be essential for long-term habitation.

The Law

It should also be noted here that international law provides part of the framework for these ambitions. For example, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits any nation from claiming sovereignty over the Moon. However, the United States Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 allows American companies to own and sell resources they extract from celestial bodies. The interpretation of these rules remains a subject of debate among spacefaring nations.

The Commercial And Strategic Context

The renewed emphasis on the Moon comes during a period of wider corporate change across Musk’s businesses. For example, SpaceX recently completed the acquisition of xAI, the artificial intelligence company also led by Musk, in a transaction that valued SpaceX at around one trillion dollars and xAI at 250 billion dollars, according to public reporting.

Musk has linked space infrastructure to artificial intelligence development, arguing that large-scale computing capacity will be critical in future competition. In separate public remarks, he has suggested that space-based data centres could form part of that strategy, although detailed plans have not been formally published.

SpaceX’s revenue base is also evolving. For example, Musk wrote on X that NASA will constitute less than 5 per cent of SpaceX revenue this year, adding: “Vast majority of SpaceX revenue is the commercial Starlink system.” Starlink operates thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit and provides broadband services globally.

Reports also indicate that SpaceX may be preparing for a potential public offering later in 2026. Publicly emphasising a nearer-term lunar objective may be viewed as more achievable within a defined timeframe than a multi-decade Mars programme, although no official IPO prospectus has yet been released.

NASA, Artemis And International Competition

SpaceX remains a central contractor in NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Under a contract valued at approximately 4 billion dollars, SpaceX is developing a lunar lander version of its Starship rocket to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface.

Public reporting has indicated that SpaceX is targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing. Such a mission would represent a step towards sustained operations on the Moon.

Competition From China

The United States faces growing competition in lunar exploration, mainly from China, which has outlined plans for crewed lunar missions in the 2030s and is working with Russia on proposals for a joint lunar research station. The renewed focus on the Moon, therefore, seems to sit within a broader geopolitical context involving technological leadership and strategic positioning.

The Change In Tone On Mars

The new emphasis on the Moon contrasts with Musk’s earlier public comments. For example, as recently as January last year, he wrote on X in response to discussion about lunar missions: “No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction.”

The current position reverses that assessment, with the Moon now being described as the faster route to securing humanity’s long-term future beyond Earth, while Mars remains a longer-term objective.

Technical And Financial Uncertainties

Establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon would require solutions to multiple, complex engineering challenges. For example, the lunar surface experiences extreme temperature variation, ranging from approximately minus 170 degrees Celsius at night to more than 120 degrees Celsius during the day. There is no atmosphere to shield inhabitants from radiation or micrometeoroids, and life support systems would need to operate reliably in a vacuum environment.

Energy supply presents another very important issue. Solar power is available during the roughly 14-day lunar daylight period, however it is absent during the equally long night. Nuclear power systems are being studied by space agencies as a possible alternative for continuous energy generation.

Transport capacity would depend heavily on the continued development of Starship, which is designed to carry large payloads to orbit and beyond. As of early 2026, Starship remains in active testing, with multiple integrated flight tests conducted but not yet a fully routine operational cadence.

Financial requirements have not been publicly detailed. However, previous discussions about interplanetary settlement have implied very large launch numbers and sustained investment over many years. Musk’s stated timeframe of under 10 years for a lunar city, which seems quite soon given the challenges, may reflect more of an aspirational target rather than a confirmed programme schedule.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

What this really represents is a change in sequence rather than a change in mission. Mars remains the long-term objective, however the Moon is now being presented as the faster and more practical proving ground. Shorter journeys and more frequent launch windows could allow quicker testing of habitats, power systems and resource extraction technologies, provided the engineering and funding challenges can be overcome.

For SpaceX, the credibility of this strategy will depend on delivery. Progress with Starship, the planned uncrewed lunar landing in 2027 and tangible advances in life support and in situ resource systems will matter more than stated timelines. Investors, regulators and NASA will be watching closely, particularly in light of any future public offering.

For UK businesses, especially those in aerospace, satellite services and advanced manufacturing, a faster-paced lunar programme could create supply chain and partnership opportunities. That said, legal, geopolitical and financial uncertainties remain significant. Whether the Moon becomes a stepping stone to Mars or a longer-term focal point will ultimately be determined by technical results rather than ambition.

AI agents running inside messaging apps can leak sensitive data through automatic link previews, researchers at AI security firm PromptArmor have warned, creating a zero-click data exfiltration risk.

The flaw reportedly exploits indirect prompt injection. For example, an attacker tricks an agent into generating a malicious URL containing sensitive information, such as API keys, in its query string. Messaging platforms like Slack, Teams, Telegram and Discord often fetch links automatically to generate previews, meaning the data-leaking URL can be requested instantly, without the user clicking it.

PromptArmor said: “In agentic systems with link previews, data exfiltration can occur immediately upon the AI agent responding to the user, without the user needing to click the malicious link.”

To test exposure, the firm created the AITextRisk.com website, which logs preview fetches from different agent and app combinations. Reported at-risk pairings include Microsoft Teams with Copilot Studio and Telegram with OpenClaw, the latter being exposed by default unless link previews are disabled in its configuration.

Businesses using AI agents in messaging platforms should review preview settings urgently, disable link previews in sensitive channels where possible, restrict agent access to secrets, and test their own app and agent pairings to identify potential zero-click data loss risks.

Trials in the United States and Europe are testing whether embedding wireless charging systems beneath road surfaces can support electric vehicles while driving and reduce reliance on plug-in infrastructure.

Why Wireless Charging Roads?

Wireless charging roads, often described as electric roads or dynamic wireless charging systems, are intended to address one of the most persistent challenges in electric vehicle adoption, reliable and convenient access to charging. While public charging networks are expanding, concerns remain about availability, downtime and the time required to recharge vehicles, particularly for commercial fleets.

The underlying concept is that vehicles equipped with compatible receivers can collect energy while travelling, waiting in traffic, or stopping briefly. Tel Aviv-based Electreon, one of the leading companies developing this technology, describes its approach in practical terms as enabling vehicles to “charge while driving”, “charge while queuing” and “charge while parked”. The stated objective is to reduce operational disruption and allow more flexible energy management throughout the day.

How Inductive Charging Works

The systems currently being deployed in pilot projects rely on inductive wireless charging. This involves installing copper coils beneath the road surface and connecting them to the electricity grid. When a compatible vehicle drives over the embedded coils, energy transfers through a magnetic field to a receiver fitted underneath the vehicle, which then feeds the battery.

Electreon explains that its “wireless electric road technology is based on magnetic resonance induction, with copper coils installed under the roadway.” The coils are designed to activate only when an authorised vehicle passes above them, remaining powered off in their default state. This means that vehicles without compatible receivers, as well as pedestrians or animals, do not trigger energy transfer.

Can’t See It From The Outside

The design of the system means the road surface itself appears unchanged because the charging components are installed beneath the asphalt, and control units positioned at the roadside manage the power supply and system monitoring. According to the company, the infrastructure is intended to operate discreetly within standard road construction and maintenance frameworks.

Where Public Trials Are Underway

Detroit is hosting the first publicly accessible wireless charging street in the United States. A quarter mile section of 14th Street in the Corktown district has been equipped with inductive coils beneath the road surface to enable dynamic charging for compatible electric vehicles. The project is linked to Michigan Central’s mobility innovation district and has involved the Michigan Department of Transportation, the City of Detroit, Ford Motor Company and DTE Energy.

The Detroit installation has been used to test performance using a Ford E-Transit shuttle vehicle known as Ellie. Publicly released test reports describe the operation of the dynamic charging system and its integration with static wireless charging points installed nearby. The project has been presented by state officials as part of a wider strategy to support electrified transport and long-term emissions reduction.

In Other Countries Too

Electreon has also implemented pilot projects in Israel, Sweden, Germany, Italy and France, often focusing on bus routes, freight corridors or controlled test tracks. These deployments are intended to assess durability, energy transfer efficiency, interoperability and system performance under real-world conditions.

The Business Case For Fleet Operators

Much of the early commercial focus has centred on public transport operators and freight fleets. For example, buses, delivery vehicles and heavy goods vehicles typically operate along predictable routes and for extended hours, which makes opportunity charging during normal operations more feasible.

Electreon is promoting a service model that allows operators to pay for access to the charging infrastructure rather than funding full installation themselves. In reporting on its commercial agreement with Dan Bus Company in Tel Aviv, the company stated that Dan would pay a monthly fee of 2,500 Israeli shekels per bus using the system, alongside electricity costs. The same project combined dynamic on-route charging with stationary wireless charging at a bus terminal.

Interestingly, in its Tel Aviv University Station case study, Electreon reported that on-route charging enabled a reduction in required battery size to 42 kilowatt hours from an original 400 kilowatt hours, describing this as “a nearly 90% reduction in size”. Such outcomes are specific to individual routes and operating patterns, yet they illustrate the potential argument that vehicles may not need to carry large batteries if energy can be collected frequently throughout the day.

Battery Size And Emissions Implications

The sustainability case for wireless charging roads extends beyond convenience. For example, smaller batteries can reduce the demand for raw materials and energy-intensive manufacturing processes, while lighter vehicles generally consume less energy per mile. If dynamic charging allows for reduced battery capacity without compromising operational range, the overall lifecycle emissions of vehicles could be affected.

Electreon also positions its technology as supporting carbon neutrality by enabling more efficient use of transport energy and lowering the need for extensive grid upgrades. The company states that the technology can reduce the need for large batteries and extensive grid connection capacity, contributing to flatter electricity demand profiles and potentially lower system costs.

Standards And Interoperability

For wireless charging roads to expand beyond isolated pilots, technical standards are essential. For example, the SAE J2954 standard addresses interoperability and electromagnetic compatibility for wireless power transfer in light and medium-duty vehicles. Internationally, the IEC 61980 series sets requirements for wireless power transfer systems for electric road vehicles, including safety and system performance criteria.

Standardisation Necessary

Also, standardisation is needed to ensure that vehicles from different manufacturers can operate on shared infrastructure and that electromagnetic exposure remains within established limits. Without broad adoption of common standards, the risk of vendor-specific systems limiting scalability remains significant.

Costs And Practical Challenges

The cost of installing wireless charging infrastructure beneath roads remains a central concern. For example, the Detroit pilot has cited figures of close to two million US dollars per mile for current installations. While developers argue that costs could fall as deployment scales and installation processes mature, large-scale retrofitting of urban or intercity roads would represent a substantial capital commitment.

Maintenance and road lifecycle management present further challenges. For example, roads require resurfacing and periodic repair, and embedded infrastructure must be designed to withstand heavy traffic, weather variation and long-term wear. Electreon states that its systems have undergone stress and endurance testing to demonstrate that installation does not reduce road lifespan when implemented correctly, although long-term operational data at scale is still limited.

Safety A Concern

Safety and electromagnetic exposure are also important considerations for using this type of new technology on public roads. Electreon states that its system activates coils only when authorised vehicles are present and that it has been tested in accordance with international electromagnetic compatibility and safety standards. Independent technical reviews of wireless charging systems identify issues such as alignment, thermal management and electromagnetic exposure as areas requiring careful design and monitoring.

Strategic Role Within Wider Charging Infrastructure

Wireless charging roads are, therefore, not intended to be a replacement for conventional plug-in charging in all contexts. Instead, the approach is a complementary infrastructure for specific use cases, e.g., bus routes, logistics hubs and high-utilisation corridors where predictable movement patterns may support a stronger economic case.

There is clearly a long way to go with this idea before it can be rolled out at scale, and public authorities and industry stakeholders are still evaluating whether dynamic charging can meaningfully contribute to emissions reduction targets and fleet electrification goals. For now, the technology remains in a pilot and early commercial phase, with expansion dependent on cost reduction, standardisation, and evidence from ongoing real-world trials.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

Wireless charging roads have moved beyond theory, but they remain limited to targeted pilots where the operational case is strongest. The technology has shown that vehicles can collect energy while moving, queuing or stopping, and that battery size and downtime may be reduced in certain use cases. Whether that translates into wide-scale deployment depends on cost reduction, robust standards and long-term maintenance performance.

For UK businesses, particularly fleet operators and logistics providers, this is a development to monitor rather than adopt immediately. Any future rollout would require coordination between highways authorities, energy providers and vehicle manufacturers, alongside clear economic and environmental evidence.

For policymakers, the central question is value for money. Wireless charging roads may complement conventional plug-in infrastructure on specific high-use corridors, yet they are unlikely to replace it. The next stage will be defined by data from real-world trials and by whether the sustainability benefits justify the infrastructure investment.

Copilot is embedded across the suite of Microsoft Office products and so this video explains how you can use it to turbo-charge Excel, thereby making full use of AI within your spreadsheets …

[Note – To Watch This Video without glitches/interruptions, It may be best to download it first]

Microsoft is retiring its free Lens scanning app, so now is the time to secure your documents and switch to a reliable alternative without losing functionality or control.

Microsoft Lens To Be Removed From iOS and Android App Stores

Microsoft has confirmed that Microsoft Lens will be removed from iOS and Android app stores and eventually disabled for creating new scans, although existing files will remain accessible if the app stays installed and you remain signed in.

Originally launched as Office Lens in 2015, it became widely used in business because it was free, simple and reliable. It allowed users to scan documents, whiteboards and business cards, convert them into searchable PDFs using OCR, and save them locally or to OneDrive, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote.

Microsoft is now directing users towards scanning within Microsoft OneDrive or Microsoft 365 Copilot. However, these do not fully replicate Lens. Features such as business card scanning to OneNote, read-aloud and Immersive Reader integration are not currently available.

For businesses, this means:

– Reviewing document workflows before scanning is disabled
– Exporting important scans before access becomes limited
– Deciding whether cloud-only storage via OneDrive is acceptable
– Considering alternative scanning apps for flexibility.

What to do now

– Export your existing scans
– Open Microsoft Lens
– Save each scan as a PDF
– Store a local copy
– Back up to your chosen cloud storage
– Confirm files open independently of the app.

Switch to OneDrive scanning

– Open the OneDrive app
– Tap the + button
– Select Scan
– Capture your document
– Save to your chosen folder.

Be aware that OneDrive does not support local-only storage.

Use a free alternative – here are some options (please note, these are suggestions and not recommendations).

Adobe Scan

– Download the app
– Sign in with a free account
– Scan documents using the camera
– Save as PDF
– Export to local or cloud storage

Genius Scan

– Install the app
– Capture documents
– Adjust borders
– Export as PDF
– Save locally or to your preferred cloud.

Google Drive (Android)

– Tap +
– Select Scan
– Save as PDF.

The key point is portability. Export everything as standard PDFs, keep copies outside any single app, and avoid relying on proprietary storage. That way, when Microsoft Lens closes, your documents and your workflow remain firmly under your control.