Alarm & CCTV Installers: Win Switchover Work

For alarm, CCTV, and security installers, the PSTN switch-off is the biggest driver of work in years. Every monitored alarm, dial-up CCTV link, and door entry system still on a copper line needs upgrading before the network retires on 31 January 2027. That means more calls from worried customers — and a real opportunity for installers who are easy to reach and look the part.

This guide explains where the switchover demand is coming from, and how a dedicated business phone number helps security installers handle the extra calls, run 24/7 response, track marketing, and build trust with new customers.

Where the Switchover Demand Is Coming From

Openreach’s guide for facilities managers is blunt: “most security panels use analogue signalling via copper lines”, fire panels “also often use standard phone lines reliant on copper”, and CCTV set-ups “often use dial-up modems reliant on copper lines”^[1]. When a monitored fire alarm loses its signalling path, Openreach warns “the system becomes non-compliant”^[1].

Openreach also says the remaining migrations are the hardest: specialist legacy circuits need investigation, testing, and sometimes new equipment^[3]. That is exactly the work security installers do — and with the deadline fixed^[7], customers who have left it late will be ringing round for help.

Customers may also call about lift alarms, door entry, and building systems. Government guidance notes that lift owners, maintenance companies, and communications providers each have a part to play in keeping lift alarms working^[4] — another reason property managers will be looking for knowledgeable, reachable contractors. For a customer-friendly explanation of what’s affected, you can point people to our guide on how the PSTN switch-off affects alarms, card machines, and lifts.

Handle More Calls Without Hiring

Most installers are on site, up ladders, or commissioning panels for most of the day. A virtual number lets a small team handle a busy period without a receptionist:

• Ring the whole team Call distribution rings several engineers or an office administrator at once, or in turn, so someone free picks up.
• Never lose a message Voicemail to email sends recordings straight to your inbox, so quote requests can be picked up between jobs.
• Answer common questions automatically A personalised greeting can explain what information you need for a PSTN upgrade quote (panel make, monitoring centre, current line) before the caller leaves a message.

Separate New Enquiries, Customers, and Call-Outs

Security businesses deal with very different kinds of call. Giving each its own number — all forwarding to the same phones — lets you prioritise properly.

With call whisper, you hear which number was dialled before you answer, so you know whether it’s a new lead or a customer with a fault.

Run 24/7 Response Without Giving Out Personal Numbers

Many security customers expect someone to be available around the clock. With time-of-day routing, your fault line can follow an on-call rota — ringing a different engineer at night or at weekends — while your customers only ever see one business number. Engineers’ personal mobiles stay private, and when someone leaves the business, the number stays with you.

Trust Matters More in Security

Customers are inviting you to secure their home or business. They want to know you’re established, local, and accountable. In a 2025 Censuswide survey for Zen Internet, over a third (35%) of British consumers said they wouldn’t trust a small or medium-sized business that only uses a mobile number^[5].

A local landline-style number on your vans, website, and quotes helps you look like the established business you are. If you cover several towns, you can have a local number for each area, all ringing the same team.

Example: A Regional Security and AV Installer

Take HISO Ltd, a Virtually Local customer based in Cheshire. HISO installs CCTV and access control alongside networking, managed Wi-Fi, and audio-visual systems for homes, offices, and hospitality venues across the North West. A business like this gets calls from very different customers — a homeowner wanting remote CCTV viewing, a pub needing its Wi-Fi and phones sorted, or an office looking at door entry — and the engineers taking those calls are usually out on site.

For an installer working across a region, a business number set up properly helps in several ways:

• One number on every van, quote, and website page, so customers always know how to get back to you.
• Calls ring whoever is free, whether they’re in the office or on a job.
• Separate numbers for different services (security, networking, hospitality) show which work your marketing brings in.
• Voicemail to email means quote requests left during an install aren’t lost.

Because they cover data and phones as well as security, installers like this are also well placed to help customers whose phone lines, alarms, and card machines all need moving off copper at the same time.

Handling PSTN Upgrade Enquiries Efficiently

Switchover enquiries tend to follow the same pattern. A customer has had a letter from their provider, or their alarm company has warned them the line is going. They often don’t know which equipment is affected. Asking the same questions on every call saves time on site:

1. What system is it (intruder alarm, fire alarm, CCTV, door entry, lift alarm), and roughly how old is it?
2. Is it monitored by an alarm receiving centre, and if so, which one?
3. Does it use a landline today, and has the customer’s phone provider given a migration date?
4. Is there a reliable broadband connection or good mobile signal where the panel sits?
5. Who else needs to be involved — landlord, facilities manager, insurer?

You can put a shortened version of these questions in your out-of-hours greeting, so customers leave a voicemail with everything you need. Your engineer can then call back from the business number with a rough quote, rather than starting from scratch.

Track Which Marketing Brings in Switchover Work

If you’re running a PSTN upgrade campaign — leaflets, Google Ads, a landing page, or letters to existing customers — give each one its own number. Your call history will show how many calls each campaign produced, so you can put more budget into what works.

Record Calls for Quotes and Disputes

Security work often involves detailed specifications agreed over the phone. Call recording gives you a record of what was agreed, which helps with quotes, handovers between engineers, and resolving disputes. Let callers know that calls may be recorded — your greeting is a good place to do this.

Don’t Forget Your Own Phone Line

While you’re upgrading everyone else, make sure your own business number isn’t still on a copper line. You can port it to Virtually Local for free, and most ports complete within around a week. Our PSTN switch-off checklist covers the steps.

Getting Set Up

1. Choose a local number for each area you cover, or port your existing number.
2. Set up call distribution for your team and an on-call rota for faults.
3. Record greetings and switch on voicemail to email in the online portal.

Numbers start from £4.95 per month on a monthly rolling contract. Find out more about virtual numbers for alarm installers and CCTV installers.

The Bottom Line

The PSTN switch-off is sending security customers looking for help, often at short notice. Installers who answer quickly, prioritise faults, and look trustworthy will win the upgrade work — and the long-term maintenance relationships that follow.