VoIP • Telkom migration

Telkom copper shutdown: how to switch to VoIP

Telkom is retiring its copper network area by area. If your business still runs on analogue, ISDN or DSL lines, here is the calm, ordered way to move to VoIP before the line goes dead.

Last verified 17 June 2026
By the WhichVoIP editorial team
7 min read

3 line typesAnalogue, ISDN and DSL all affected

2 routesMove to fibre or VoIP over LTE

From ~R65Entry hosted VoIP seat per user, SA market

Area by areaLines disconnected without local repair

The short answer

Is Telkom really shutting down copper lines, and what should I do?

Yes. Telkom has been retiring its legacy copper network since 2022, moving customers onto fibre and wireless. If your business still uses copper-based analogue, ISDN or DSL lines, plan a move to VoIP now: choose a provider, port your numbers, and switch over before your area is disconnected. Migrating early is far less disruptive than waiting for the line to fail.

Legacy line types affected: analogue, ISDN, DSL

Modern replacements: fibre or VoIP over LTE

Entry hosted VoIP seat per user, SA market

Copper repairs once your area is switched off

Old Copper Telephone Cabling Being Retired Alongside New Fibre And Cloud Connectivity — Telkom’s copper network is being retired in favour of fibre and wireless, with disconnections rolling out area by area.

What is happening to Telkom copper lines?

The copper that carried landlines and ADSL for decades is being switched off, not repaired.

South African trade press has reported for several years that Telkom is decommissioning its copper telephone network, migrating customers to fibre where it is available and to LTE where it is not. The practical effect for businesses is that copper-based services, traditional analogue lines, ISDN and DSL, are being withdrawn region by region, and faults on retired copper are no longer repaired. Once your area is switched off, a copper line simply stops working.

Watch: the rollout is uneven by area. Do not wait for a formal notice. If your phones still run on a Telkom copper line, treat migration as a project to start now, not when the line fails.

Why you should migrate now, not later

Moving on your own schedule is calm and cheap. Moving after a disconnection is neither.

Plan early

You choose the provider, port numbers cleanly and test everything before cutover. No lost calls, no scramble.

Wait too long

The line goes dead in your area, customers cannot reach you, and you are porting numbers under pressure while the phones are already down.

After the move

Lower, predictable monthly costs, remote and mobile working, and a system the provider keeps current.

Step by step: how to switch from Telkom to VoIP

Six steps, in order. The golden rule is to port your numbers last.

List your lines and numbersNote every number, what it is used for, and which copper service it sits on.

Sort out your internetConfirm a fibre or LTE connection with enough headroom and stability for your busy-hour call count, ideally with failover.

Choose a VoIP providerMatch features and per-seat pricing to your needs and confirm the provider is ICASA-licensed for the service.

Set up and test the new systemBuild your call flows, connect handsets or apps, and test thoroughly on a few test numbers first.

Port your numbers lastOnly once the new system works should you port your main numbers, so you are never without a working line.

Train staff and cut overWalk the team through the apps and phones, switch over, and keep a mobile fallback during the first week.

The copper is going whether you act or not. The only choice you control is whether you move on your schedule or on a dead line.

WhichVoIP editorial view

Small Business Owner Switching From An Analogue Desk Phone To A Voip Softphone App — VoIP runs over your internet connection, so the same numbers can ring on desk phones, laptops and mobiles.

Cost: Telkom copper vs VoIP

VoIP changes the cost shape, not just the price. Compare like for like over a year.

Item	Telkom copper	VoIP
Line or seat cost	Per-line rental	Per-user monthly, from ~R65
Hardware	Fixed handsets	Apps or IP phones, your choice
Adding users	New line install	Add a seat in a portal
Remote and mobile	Not really	Built in
Maintenance	Yours and Telkom’s	The provider’s

✓

Bottom line: most businesses move to a lower and far more predictable monthly bill, but get an itemised quote for your own call profile rather than trusting a blanket savings figure.

Power and continuity: VoIP vs copper

Copper carried its own power; VoIP does not, so plan for outages.

An old copper line drew power from the exchange, so it often worked when the building lost power. VoIP runs over your internet, which needs the router and connection to stay up. The fix is straightforward: put the router and any on-site hardware on a UPS, keep an LTE failover for the internet, and use your VoIP provider’s mobile app so calls divert to staff phones during an outage. Done well, a VoIP setup with failover is more resilient than a single copper line ever was.

Plan for it: a small UPS on the router plus a mobile-app failover keeps you reachable through a local power cut or fault, without any copper.

Our verdict

The copper shutdown removes the “do nothing” option, but that is no bad thing. VoIP is cheaper to run, scales seat by seat, works from anywhere and, with a UPS and LTE failover, is more resilient than a lone copper line. The businesses that come through this smoothly are the ones that plan the move early, test the new system, and port their numbers last.

Our recommendation: if your phones still run on Telkom copper, start collecting VoIP quotes now and aim to cut over well before your area is disconnected.

Moving off Telkom copper?

Tell us how many lines and numbers you have, and we will match you with VoIP providers that can port them cleanly.

Get matched with providers
How number porting works

Frequently asked questions

Is Telkom really shutting down copper lines?

Yes. Telkom has been retiring its legacy copper network since 2022, as widely reported in South African trade press, moving customers to fibre where available and LTE elsewhere. Copper-based analogue, ISDN and DSL services are being withdrawn area by area, and retired copper is no longer repaired.

Can I keep my phone number when I move to VoIP?

Yes. South African number portability lets you port your existing geographic numbers to a VoIP provider. Set up and test the new system first, then port your numbers last so your business is never without a working line.

What do I need to run VoIP instead of copper?

A stable internet connection (fibre or LTE) with enough capacity for your busy-hour calls, a VoIP provider, and either IP desk phones or softphone apps on existing devices. A UPS on the router and an LTE failover make it resilient.

How long does it take to switch from Telkom to VoIP?

Setting up and testing a VoIP system can take days; number porting typically adds a couple of weeks depending on the donor operator and documentation. Starting early, before your copper line is disconnected, removes the time pressure.

Will VoIP work during a power cut?

Only if you plan for it. VoIP needs power to your router and a live internet link. Put the router on a UPS, keep an LTE failover, and use the provider’s mobile app so calls divert to staff phones during an outage.

What happens if I do nothing?

When Telkom retires copper in your area, the line stops working and faults are not repaired. You would then be migrating under pressure with your phones already down. Planning the move in advance avoids losing calls and customers.

Keep reading

Number porting for VoIP phone systems
Cloud PBX phone systems explained

Sources: South African and Africa telecoms trade press reporting on Telkom’s copper network decommissioning (Connecting Africa; Communications Africa); ICASA number portability framework. Verified 17 June 2026.

Telkom Copper Shutdown: Switch to VoIP (2026)