Lift phones and emergency phone lines
In brief
- Lift emergency phones that dial out over the analogue phone line will stop working when the PSTN is switched off.
- This is a legal compliance issue. Lifts must have a working emergency communication system.
- Building owners should contact the lift maintenance company now for a compatibility assessment and plan for SIM-based or IP-based replacements.
Why this matters
Lifts in the UK are required to have an emergency communication system, usually a phone or intercom inside the lift car that connects to a monitoring centre or building reception. Many of these systems use the traditional phone line (PSTN) to make that connection.
When the analogue network is switched off, any lift emergency phone that dials out over the PSTN will stop working unless it is upgraded. This is a safety and legal compliance issue.
What is affected
- Lift emergency phones, the phone or intercom inside the lift car
- Auto-diallers in lift control panels, devices that call an engineer or monitoring centre when a fault is detected
- Emergency call points in car parks, stairwells, or communal areas, if they use the phone line
- Help points in sheltered housing or care facilities, pull-cord or push-button systems that dial out
The legal requirement
BS EN 81-28 requires lift emergency communication systems to establish a two-way voice connection with a rescue service. The building owner or duty holder is responsible for making sure this works. If the phone line is switched to digital voice and the lift phone stops working, the building may no longer be compliant.
This is the responsibility of the building owner, managing agent, or freeholder, not the lift company or phone provider.
What can go wrong
- Calls may not connect. Some lift diallers cannot communicate reliably over digital voice.
- Signal quality. Lift emergency phones often operate in environments with electrical interference. Digital voice may be less tolerant of this than the old analogue system.
- Power dependency. On the old system, the phone line provided its own power. On digital voice, the router and any network equipment in the building need mains power. In a power cut, the lift phone may not work even if the lift has its own battery backup.
What to do
- Audit every lift and emergency call point in the building. Check whether they use the phone line.
- Contact the lift maintenance company. Ask them to assess compatibility with digital voice and provide a written report.
- Plan upgrades. Options include SIM-based (GSM) diallers that use the mobile network, or IP-based diallers that connect via broadband. Both remove the dependency on the analogue phone line.
- Test after any changes. After the phone line is migrated or equipment is replaced, test the emergency phone. Press the button and confirm the call connects and two-way speech works.
- Keep records. Document the test date, result, and any changes made. This is part of your lift safety compliance file.
For property managers
Do not wait for the phone provider to contact you. Lift emergency phone upgrades can have long lead times, and the lift company needs to schedule the work. Start the audit now.
If you manage multiple buildings, create a register of all lift emergency phones and their connection type (PSTN, GSM, or IP). Prioritise the ones still on PSTN.
Concierge lines and emergency help points
Some buildings have additional phone-line devices beyond lifts:
- Concierge or communal emergency handsets, wall-mounted phones in lobbies, corridors, or communal areas of sheltered housing and care schemes that connect to a warden or monitoring service via the phone line.
- Emergency help points, standalone call posts in car parks, university campuses, retail parks, or transport sites that dial a control room or the emergency services when the button is pressed.
Both types work the same way as lift emergency phones: they dial out over the PSTN, and they will stop working when the analogue line is retired. Audit these alongside your lift phones. The same upgrade options apply: SIM-based or IP-based diallers that remove the dependency on the old phone line.
What to ask the lift maintenance company
When you contact your lift company, ask these questions:
- Does the emergency phone currently use the analogue phone line (PSTN)?
- Has it been tested on a digital voice connection?
- What is the recommended replacement? GSM dialler, IP dialler, or another option?
- What is the cost and lead time for the upgrade?
- Will the replacement comply with BS EN 81-28?
- Will the replacement work during a power cut?