Is your business ready for the PSTN & ISDN switch off?
BT Openreach has announced that they are switching off their PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) networks in 2025 and ceasing sales of these products in 2020. Even if you are not with BT, BT Openreach owns the majority of telephone lines used by other phone companies. It is likely that if your business uses this type of technology it will be affected. If this is the case Data Computer Services recommends that you move your traditional telephone systems to Hosted VoIP as soon as possible. This will provide you with all the benefits of hosted VoIP as well as ensuring you avoid any problems caused by a rush to make the switch as the deadline approaches.
What are PSTN and ISDN
PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) is the type of phone line that many people will still have at home. It is also the technology used by many small and medium-sized businesses. It uses copper wires and an analogue signal to transfer voice data across the network from one user to another. ISDN was a replacement technology first seen in the mid- 1980s and is still popular with larger companies today. In addition to voice calls, it also supports the transmission of video, data and fax messages but uses a digital signal to do this instead of an analogue one.
Why is PSTN and ISDN telephony support ending
BT has made this decision due to the emergence of new technologies that have much cheaper infrastructure maintenance costs such a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). In addition, the emergence and popularity of cloud technology have also transformed the way businesses operate. Many businesses are now choosing to store their data on cloud servers rather than on expensive in-house servers and networks. They are also buying cloud services and outsourcing the maintenance rather than bearing the financial burden of an in-house IT department. Hosted VoIP telephony has been an easy next step. As a result, it is now a well-established platform that many businesses have fully embraced. VoIP technology has surpassed traditional telephony in terms of cost, flexibility and features.
What is Hosted VoIP Telephony
Hosted VoIP is a cloud-based technology that uses the internet instead of phone lines to make calls. Hosted VoIP is well suited for small and medium-sized businesses for a number of reasons the main one being reduced monthly phone bills. However, there are lots of other reasons for moving e.g. ease of scalability, the flexibility of making /receiving calls in the office, at home or remotely, ease of maintenance, lots of useful extra business features. You can find out more about the reasons to move to Hosted VoIP here. With VoIP technology, you can make and receive calls in a number of ways e.g. via a special VoIP phone, using a mobile device or even just by plugging a headset into your computer.
What do you need to switch to Hosted VoIP
The most important requirement for VoIP is a high quality, reliable internet connection. You will also have to ensure that you have the correct bandwidth to handle your call volume and internet usage. VoIP calls can be very data-intensive so to ensure good speed and performance you can choose to install a separate network just for VoIP calls.
When should you migrate to VoIP
Data Computer Services would advise all businesses that they should consider moving to VoIP sooner rather than later. In early 2017 there were over 2 million businesses in the UK still using ISDN and a survey around the same time found that more than a quarter of businesses didn’t know anything at all about the switch off. As the date for the switch off gets nearer it is likely that lots of other companies will start to take action. You may then find it difficult to organise the services of a provider you trust to help you make the move. Like all other types of IT migration projects, proper planning is the key to a smooth hassle-free transition so it is essential that you have left enough time to get the services of a company that you can rely on to do a good job.
If you would like to find out more about Hosted VoIP or how to migrate your business telephone systems over, please get in touch or call us for a chat on 0131 657 1666. Data Computer Services is an experienced IT support company providing a wide range of IT services for businesses in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.