03-07-2026

On Friday, 3 July 2026, POST Luxembourg permanently decommissioned its analogue fixed-line network, in the presence of, among others, Lex Delles, Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism, marking the successful completion of the transition to a network based entirely on Internet technologies (100% All-IP). This decommissioning also marks the end of a technology that has supported Luxembourg's telecommunications sector for nearly four decades.

EWSD (Elektronisches Wählsystem Digital) technology, introduced in the 1980s to provide digital routing of telephone calls, represented a major milestone in the modernisation of the national fixed telecommunications network. Its permanent shutdown now symbolises the completion of the transition to fully IP-based, future-proof infrastructures.

In response to the continuous growth of digital services and connectivity needs, POST Luxembourg continues to modernise its infrastructure. The widespread adoption of All-IP technologies and the deployment of fibre-optic networks are enabling the gradual replacement of the historic copper network. This modernisation of telecommunications infrastructure helps to simplify network architecture, reduce maintenance costs, lower energy consumption and improve the quality of communication services, which now offer a broader range of functionalities.

Gaston Bohnenberger, Director of POST Technologies, stated: "The decommissioning of EWSD brings an important chapter in Luxembourg's telecommunications history to a close. After nearly forty years of service, this technology is making way for a network based entirely on IP technologies. Thanks to the deployment of fibre optics, which now covers more than 92% of households across the country, Luxembourg has a high-performance fixed network capable of meeting the growing connectivity needs of both citizens and businesses."

A look back at technological developments

The transition from the analogue network to All-IP is part of a long-term process of modernising Luxembourg's telecommunications infrastructure. In the early days, telephone communications were established manually in telecommunications centres by operators who connected customers to one another.

As technology advanced, communications gradually became automated. In the 1950s, the introduction of EMD (Edelmetall-Motor-Drehwähler) technology made it possible to progressively automate telephone call setup, bringing manual operations to an end. From the 1980s onwards, EWSD (Elektronisches Wählsystem Digital) technology enabled the transition to digital switching by relying on computer-based systems to route telephone calls.

Source: POST Luxembourg