Telstra DOT Is Being Retired — Keep Your Numbers, Pay Less
Telstra DOT shuts down 30 Aug 2027 (stop-sell 30 Sep 2025). SIP Connect ports your numbers onto a modern phone system before the deadline.
If your business runs Telstra DOT (Digital Office Technology), the clock is now ticking. Telstra stopped selling DOT on 30 September 2025, and the platform shuts down completely on 30 August 2027 — after which your DOT phones simply stop working. The good news: you do not have to move to Telstra's pricier replacement. SIP Connect ports your existing numbers and gets you onto a modern phone system for less — and we'll handle the whole move.
What's happening to Telstra DOT
DOT was Telstra's bundled small-business package: a Telstra-supplied gateway (a rebranded Netgear router), Telstra-provisioned IP handsets and up to nine lines on one simple bill. Telstra is retiring it:
- 30 September 2025 — stop-sell. No new DOT services, and existing services can no longer be changed, moved or recontracted.
- 30 August 2027 — full shutdown. The DOT platform is switched off and the service stops working. You can cancel any time before then.
This is part of the wider shift off legacy small-business voice towards open, internet-based phone systems — the same shift driving the PSTN copper switch-off. Waiting until 2027 is the one thing to avoid: number ports take time, and every other DOT customer will be moving at once.
You don't have to upgrade to Telstra's replacement
Here's the catch most DOT customers aren't told: there's no like-for-like Telstra product at the DOT price point. Telstra steers departing DOT customers onto its own cloud phone system or Microsoft Teams Phone, which sit at the higher end of the Australian market. Independent providers deliver the same features — often for meaningfully less per user (industry estimates put DOT around $30–$55 per user a month, with independent cloud phone systems commonly $20–$35). The honest move is to compare, not to default to whatever Telstra puts in front of you.
A quick note on Telstra TIPT: it isn't going anywhere, but it's Telstra's enterprise phone platform — generally overkill and over-priced for a small or mid-sized business. For most DOT-sized businesses, a right-sized 3CX, hosted PBX or Microsoft Teams calling setup is a far better fit.
Two ways to move off DOT
There's no one-size-fits-all. Pick the path that suits your business and budget — either way your numbers come with you and we manage the whole move end to end.
Gateway — keep your phone system, port your numbers
Got a phone system, SIP handsets or an on-site PBX worth keeping? We connect it to the SIP Connect network with SIP trunks (plus a gateway where one's needed) and port your numbers across. You keep working exactly as you do today — just off Telstra DOT, on a cheaper and more flexible service.
- Keep your existing phone system & handsets
- Lower line rental; channels that scale up or down
- Numbers ported on a planned date
- The fastest, lowest-cost way off DOT
Upgrade to a modern hosted phone system
Ready to leave the old box behind? Move to a right-sized 3CX, hosted PBX or Microsoft Teams phone system — desk, desktop app and mobile, with IVR, call recording and web conferencing built in. Usually less per user than DOT, with far more control.
- Work from desk, app or mobile, anywhere
- Modern features: IVR, recording, conferencing
- Add or remove users with a phone call
- Live in days, not weeks, numbers kept
Keep your numbers — they're yours, not Telstra's
Your business phone numbers belong to you and can be ported to a new provider. A few things worth knowing so the move is clean:
- Porting away from Telstra typically takes 4–6 weeks — so start before the rush, not at the deadline.
- You must list every number on the account when you port, or some can be left stranded.
- Telstra has indicated there's no early termination charge while the DOT retirement is underway, so you can move on your timeline.
Escape the locked-down Telstra box
DOT tied you to a Telstra gateway and handsets you can't reuse elsewhere. A SIP Connect setup runs over your existing business internet, works on desk phones, the desktop app and mobiles, and you control it — add or remove users with a phone call. Pair it with SIP trunks or business VoIP and you get more flexibility for less.
How SIP Connect moves you off DOT
Free bill review.
Send us your current DOT bill — our bill analysis shows what you're paying and what you'd save, and our bill reviews have identified savings of up to 65%.
Keep or upgrade — your call.
We're vendor-neutral: keep your existing system with a SIP gateway, or upgrade to a right-sized 3CX, hosted PBX or Teams setup — whichever fits how your team works, not the dearest option.
Numbers ported, cutover planned.
We manage the port end-to-end and switch you over cleanly, often in days, not weeks.
Local support.
A real team in Greensborough, north-east Melbourne — not a call centre.
Telstra is walking away from small-business DOT. Move on your terms, keep your numbers, and pay less. Book a free bill review or call 1300 747 266.
Frequently asked questions
When does Telstra DOT stop working?
Telstra stopped selling DOT on 30 September 2025, and the platform is switched off on 30 August 2027. After that date your DOT service stops working, so it's best to plan your move well before then.
Do I have to switch to Telstra's replacement?
No. Your numbers are yours and can be ported to any provider. There's no like-for-like Telstra product at the DOT price tier, so it pays to compare — a right-sized 3CX, hosted PBX or Teams setup with SIP Connect usually costs less and gives you more control.
Can I keep my existing phone numbers?
Yes. We port all your numbers across so customers never notice. Porting from Telstra takes about 4–6 weeks and you must include every number on the account, which is why we recommend starting early.
Can I keep my existing phone system?
Often, yes. If you have a phone system, SIP handsets or an on-site PBX worth keeping, we can front it with SIP trunks and a gateway where needed, then port your numbers — so you stay on your current setup for less. (Telstra's own DOT handsets are locked to the DOT platform and generally can't be reused, so we'll tell you honestly which path makes sense for your kit.)
Will I be charged an exit fee for leaving DOT early?
Telstra has indicated there's no early termination charge while the DOT retirement is underway. We'd still confirm your specific account before you cancel anything — and we time the switch so there's no gap in service.
Isn't Telstra TIPT the answer?
TIPT is Telstra's enterprise phone platform — for most small and mid-sized businesses it's more than you need and more than you should pay. We'll right-size a phone system to your actual team instead.
Get a free bill analysis — and stop overpaying
Send us a recent phone or internet bill. We’ll show you exactly where the waste is — our bill reviews have identified savings of up to 65%.