Public services across the UK are approaching a quiet but significant deadline. The traditional phone network that has supported government services for decades is being switched off. The PSTN-to-VoIP migration means that analogue and ISDN lines are being retired in favour of digital voice delivered over internet networks. For many organisations, this feels like a technical problem to be solved as quickly and cheaply as possible. Replace old lines. Install VoIP. Keep services running.
However, the digital switchover is more than a digital infrastructure upgrade. It is an opportunity to rethink how public services connect with citizens. It opens the door to AI automation and more accessible, responsive services. Handled well, it can reduce pressure on contact centres and make it easier for people to get help when they need it.
As part of the UK telecom digital transformation, all legacy copper lines will be retired by January 2027 at the latest, with many areas already migrated. These networks are becoming harder to maintain and more prone to failure.
For public services, the implications are practical and immediate. Telecare systems, alarm lines, fax machines, lift phones and contact centre infrastructure often still rely on analogue connectivity. Many of these services are critical.
Besides, government guidance makes clear that telecare and other dependent services must be reconnected or upgraded to work over digital networks. Leaving this too late risks disruption to vulnerable users. Most organisations now accept that change is unavoidable. The question is what kind of change it will be.
The simplest response to the switchover is to swap analogue lines for VoIP and carry on as before. But that approach misses a larger opportunity. Digital telephony makes it much easier to integrate new channels and intelligent automation. Voice, webchat, email and SMS can all be brought into a single system. Data from conversations can be captured and used to improve services over time. Instead of treating phone calls as isolated events, organisations can start to build joined-up digital journeys that work for both citizens and staff.
Public sector contact centres are under sustained strain: demand is rising, cases are becoming more complex, and staff are stretched thin. At the same time, a large proportion of inbound contact is routine. People ask the same questions about council tax, benefits, waste services, housing repairs or appointments.
Research suggests that a high share of repetitive government transactions are suitable for automation. Even modest time savings per enquiry can free up significant staff capacity.
Some councils are already showing what is possible. Westminster City Council, for example, has deployed an AI-powered contact centre platform that triages and responds to resident enquiries across channels. It has reportedly improved response times and supported staff with better routing and real-time insights. These early examples point to a broader shift. Digital telephony is a foundation for more intelligent service delivery.
When voice services move onto digital infrastructure, conversational AI becomes far easier to deploy. Instead of long menus and hold music, callers can speak naturally to a voice assistant that understands their question and responds in plain language. The same assistant can be available via webchat or text.
Routine enquiries can be handled automatically. Information can be gathered once and passed to human teams when needed. Follow-ups and reminders can be sent without manual effort. This is not about replacing people. It is about removing friction from the system.
Staff spend less time answering repetitive questions and more time on cases that genuinely require judgement, empathy and professional expertise. Citizens get faster responses and clearer guidance.
Accessibility and inclusion
The digital switchover also brings new responsibilities. Public services have legal and ethical duties to ensure that digital systems are accessible to everyone. That includes people with disabilities, those who speak limited English and those who struggle with traditional online forms. Well-designed AI-automation can improve accessibility even further.
Voice interfaces help people who find typing difficult. Text-to-speech and speech-to-text support different needs. Plain language responses reduce cognitive load. Multiple languages can be supported without building separate systems. Accessibility needs to be built in from the start. Addressing it later is costly and often ineffective.
Many organisations respond to service pressure by launching large procurement programmes. They issue RFPs for end-to-end contact centre or digital service platforms. These projects take months to deliver and cost hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds.
The result is often another siloed system layered on top of existing complexity. However, there is another way. Rather than rebuilding from scratch, public bodies can use AI and automation to unlock the systems they already have. This is where Tovie AI comes in.
Tovie AI is a UK-based AI automation company with experience delivering digital solutions for the public sector. Its approach is designed to work with existing infrastructure rather than replacing it.
As organisations migrate to digital telephony, Tovie AI helps them create a single digital front door for citizen contact. This can be accessed through voice and text, 24 hours a day. The system works simply, with empathy at its core.
Citizens are guided through supportive conversations rather than rigid forms or call menus. The AI uses plain, friendly language and responds thoughtfully to what people share, helping them feel listened to rather than processed.
For routine enquiries, the AI provides immediate answers drawn from existing public information. For more complex issues, it gathers the relevant details in a calm, structured way and passes them on to the appropriate team. People do not have to repeat their story multiple times.
Tovie AI integrates with digital telephony platforms and contact centre systems, allowing:
- Automated handling of high-volume enquiries
- Intelligent routing to the right team or service
- Data capture for reporting and service improvement
- Seamless handover from AI to human staff
- Multi-channel support across voice and text
Accessibility is built into the design. Voice and text options are available. Language support can be added. Clear fallbacks to human assistance are always present. This is not about removing human contact. It is about using AI to support staff and improve the experience for citizens.
For digital transformation teams planning for the switchover, a staged approach works best.
Audit your current landscape
Map existing telephony endpoints, dependent services and contact centre tools. Identify what rertlies on PSTN and what can be modernised or retired.
Move early to digital voice
Connect to the VoIP infrastructure as soon as possible to reduce risk and give yourself time to test.
Pilot conversational AI in low-risk areas
Start with high-volume routine enquiries. Learn what works. Refine scripts and integrations.
Scale automation gradually
Expand into additional services once confidence grows. Use data to improve responses and routing.
Build accessibility and compliance in from day one
Do not treat inclusion as an add-on.
Support staff through the change
Train teams on new tools and explain how AI supports rather than replaces their work.
The UK’s digital switchover can become a moment of choice. Public services can replace old lines with new ones and carry on as before. Or they can use this transition to build more accessible and efficient ways to serve citizens.
By combining digital telephony with conversational AI and workflow automation, organisations can reduce pressure on contact centres and future-proof their operations.
With the right approach and the right partners, the switchover becomes not a disruption but a genuine opportunity for service innovation. Tovie AI exists to help public bodies make that shift in a practical, human-centred way.
Turn your digital switchover into smarter services with Tovie AI