Broadband and phones

Home broadband, landlines and mobile: what is changing, what you can get at your address and how to choose.

Getting ready for the landline switch-off in 2027

The landline switch-off is the closure of Britain's old copper phone network on 31 January 2027, moving calls onto broadband. For most homes it's one plug; homes with a telecare alarm, no mobile signal or no broadband should call their provider now for free backup and help.

BY Doug Silkstone10/10/26

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Life

Christmas flowers and plants worth giving

A bouquet for the flower lover, an amaryllis for someone who forgets to water, or a Christmas cactus they can keep for years. Here's how I'd choose a gift that feels right for the person receiving it.

BY Doug Silkstone14/10/26

Tech

Klaviyo alternatives for UK Shopify shops

Klaviyo now charges for every profile it can email, so a Shopify shop's bill grows with its checkout customers as well as its subscribers. Shopify Messaging covers the basics for little, Omnisend is the closest cheaper rival, and Privy suits shops whose first job is growing the list. Klaviyo is $100 a month at 5,000 profiles.

BY Doug Silkstone12/10/26

Tech

The best CRM for a UK small business

A CRM keeps every customer, email and deal where the whole team can see them. Pipedrive suits small sales teams, Zoho CRM gives the most for the least, Copper suits Gmail businesses and Capsule is the simple British option. HubSpot's free plan is fine for two, then the price climbs.

BY Doug Silkstone12/10/26

Tech

The best newsletter platforms for UK writers

Substack is free until readers pay, then keeps 10%; beehiiv, Kit, Ghost and the rest charge a flat fee instead. I work out which costs less at 1,000 and 10,000 subscribers, who brings you readers, who lets you leave with them, and what UK writers need to know about VAT and consent.

BY Doug Silkstone12/10/26

Tech

The best Typeform alternatives in the UK

A form builder turns your questions into a page people fill in. Tally is the best free Typeform alternative for most people, Fillout suits forms that take payments, book calls or collect signatures, and SmartSurvey keeps survey answers in the UK. Typeform starts at £252 a year plus VAT.

BY Doug Silkstone12/10/26