Privacy policy and cookie settings
Who we are
This site is published and operated by a UK-based sole trader. The data controller's full legal name, trading address, and ICO registration number will be added to this page as soon as the ICO registration is complete. In the meantime, the controller can be contacted at hello@landlineswitch.co.uk and will provide full identification on request.
This site provides information about the UK's move from analogue to digital landlines. It is intended as a public-interest reference, not a commercial service.
What data we collect
Tool answers
When you use the device risk checker or power-cut plan builder, your answers are stored in a signed cookie on your device. This cookie is strictly necessary for the tool to work (it remembers your answers as you move through the steps). It expires after one hour. Your answers are never sent to our servers or stored in any database. They exist only in your browser.
Analytics (with your consent)
If you accept analytics cookies, we use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand how people use the site. This helps us improve the content and tools. GA4 collects:
- Pages visited and time on page
- How you arrived at the site (search engine, direct link, etc.)
- Your general location (country and region, not precise location)
- Device type, browser, and screen size
- Interactions with tools (steps completed, results viewed)
If you do not consent to analytics cookies, no analytics data is collected and no analytics scripts are loaded. You can change your choice at any time using the link.
Advertising (with your consent)
If you accept advertising cookies, we use Google AdSense to display ads. Google may use cookies to show you relevant ads based on your browsing. No advertising cookies are set unless you give consent. Ads are never displayed inside tool step flows.
Lawful basis for each activity
- Tool answers (device checker and power-cut plan): processed under your consent to use the tool, and only for the purpose of returning your personalised result. Stored in a signed cookie on your device, not on our servers.
- Analytics: processed only under your explicit consent, given through the cookie banner.
- Advertising: processed only under your explicit consent, given through the cookie banner.
- Contact emails: processed under legitimate interest to reply to you, or under contract if you are asking about a specific service we offer.
- Security and availability (bot filtering, rate limiting): processed under legitimate interest to keep the site up and resilient.
Cookies we use
The table below lists every cookie this site sets, or that is set by a third party we have chosen to integrate. Cookies marked "third-party" are set by a domain other than landlineswitch.co.uk. The browser will only send them to that third party, not to us.
| Cookie | Purpose | Party | Type | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ls_consent |
Stores your cookie consent choice | First-party | Strictly necessary | 1 year |
ls_dc |
Device risk checker answers (signed, not encrypted) | First-party | Strictly necessary | 1 hour |
ls_pc |
Power-cut plan builder answers (signed, not encrypted) | First-party | Strictly necessary | 1 hour |
__cf_bm |
Cloudflare bot management (keeps the site fast and blocks automated abuse) | Third-party (Cloudflare) | Strictly necessary | 30 minutes |
_ga, _ga_* |
Google Analytics: distinguishes unique visitors and keeps session state | First-party (set by our domain on your behalf) | Analytics (consent required) | Up to 2 years |
_gat_gtag_* |
Google Analytics: throttles the request rate so the site stays fast | First-party | Analytics (consent required) | 1 minute |
__gads, __gpi |
Google AdSense: selects and measures ads | First-party | Advertising (consent required) | Up to 13 months |
IDE, test_cookie |
Google AdSense: ad measurement and frequency capping | Third-party (doubleclick.net) | Advertising (consent required) | Up to 13 months |
NID, ANID, DSID |
Google AdSense: personalisation and frequency capping when you are signed into Google | Third-party (google.com / doubleclick.net) | Advertising (consent required) | Up to 2 years |
Your rights
Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of your data
- Request portability of your data
- Object to processing
- Withdraw consent at any time
In practice, we hold very little data about individual visitors. If you have questions or want to exercise any of these rights, email hello@landlineswitch.co.uk.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.
International data transfers
When you consent to analytics or advertising cookies, data is processed by Google, which operates servers outside the UK and EEA (including in the United States). Google relies on Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, and the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, as the legal mechanism for these transfers. You can read more in Google's data transfer frameworks.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The last reviewed date at the top of this page shows when it was last checked.