Want to jump straight to a comms review? Please contact our experts at hello@juicebroadband.co.uk for a chat about how we can help you navigate through these changes.
Telephony for both business and residential users in the UK is about to change forever as the old legacy infrastructure that has served the nation for decades ceases and moves to a fully digital network using digital Voice (VoIP)
It’s a huge change in technologies for the better, as VoIP brings numerous benefits over the existing infrastructure, and paves a way for a much more flexible and collaborative way of communicating.
2025 is when the switch off will happen, so it is wise to start looking into the available options to make the switch to Digital Voice. There is likely to be a huge demand and last minute rush for Digital Voice services leading up to the switch off date which could cause unnecessary stress on you and your business. The good news is that Juice Broadband have the Digital Voice solution in place for you, for both single lines and Full Cloud PBX telephone systems for offices and homeworkers.
Here is a guide to help you make the right decisions and understand what is needed to get you ready for this.
Why are Openreach implementing the big switch off?
In a nutshell, the legacy systems are out of date in terms of modern technology, they are struggling to meet demand and hardware for these systems is becoming harder and more expensive to procure and maintain. The copper network has been under invested and simply patched up over the years. The huge uptake in web services, Internet of things, cloud computing and smart homes means that from both a cost and efficiency angle, it can no longer compete with the rapid paced IP world and it’s time to retire the PSTN network and its associated technologies.
The end of PSTN and ISDN Services, but what are these?
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the landline telephone system – the system you call your phone line. It was set up for making voice calls using copper wires to transmit analogue voice data.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a later addition. It allows for the simultaneous transmission of voice, video and other services digitally, using the traditional PSTN network. A few years ago ISDN was the go-to solution for internet connectivity. Now its popularity is waning due to the introduction of cloud communications. Typically, small to large telephone systems were connected via multiple ISDN2e circuits or ISDN 30. All ISDN services will also be stopped following the switch off.
So when does this all start?
It’s already started being gradually phased out, and Openreach has announced a ‘Stop Sell’ date of September 2023, meaning that you will no longer be able to order any PSTN & ISDN services in the UK after this time.
Who does this affect?
Any and all residential users businesses currently using ISDN or PSTN services. Please note that this does not just affect voice services, but also legacy CCTV, door entry, burglar alarms, fax machines, Redcare, card reader & PDQ machines, tills, franking machines, modems and basically anything that connects to a traditional phone line, including your broadband, so you really do need to give this some thought.
How can I get help and advice on the swich off?
Well, you’ve made a great start with reading this informative blog, Juice are offering free of charge communications reviews. We’ll take a comprehensive look at your current systems and advise you on how we can switch you over to the new infrastructure. The good news is that more often than not, we can also save you money following analysis of your existing bills and charges.
How will a new VoIP system differ from my existing telephone system?
If you have a legacy system connected to ISDN lines or analogue PSTN, you may have a main phone number and a range of DDI numbers (Direct Dial Inbound) used for department or individual direct phone numbers. We can still retain your telephone numbers and we can port these into the VoIP environment if you need to retain them, (rental and porting charges will apply).
We can design your VoIP phone system to be as simple or as complex as you need it, by using applications like Auto Attendants, Voicemail to your email, Home working, Softphones on your laptop or mobile, disaster recover failover to mobiles, call recording, hunt groups, call queuing and full blown call centre environments. There’s nothing that a VoIP system cannot do that a PSTN legacy system can. We even offer protection against phone hacking to ensure you never rack up huge phone bills if your system becomes compromised by a hacker.
What about my home Landline & Broadband?
You are probably aware of FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet) broadband which uses copper phone lines to your house from the cabinet in the street, then via Fibre back to your local Openreach exchange. FTTC comes with a phone line service which again will be affected by the Switch Off. The new service is broadband product called SOGEA, similar to FTTC but without the ability to provide a dial tone or phone number. This means that if you need a landline at home, this will need to be a Digital Voice service running over your broadband. Luckily the broadband routers we supply include a port for an analogue cordless or home phone and we can retain your existing telephone number for you by porting them into our network.
FAQ
- What if I am in a contract that ends after 2025? We suggest getting in touch with us or your current supplier to discuss contractual arrangements for your new VoIP system
- What if I don’t want to change to Digital Voice? Unfortunately after the big switch off, you will no longer have a choice, so best to reach out to us to begin your Digital Voice project.
- Will I lose my number? No we can retain your business numbers to be used on your new Digital Voice system.
- Will there be any down time when you switch? We’ll work with you and formulate a plan to ensure there is no impact on your ability to make and receive calls.
- Surely I will be automatically switched over and things will carry on? Unfortunately not, when Openreach finally switch off the old technology it will no longer operate, so any platform that you may get moved to by default may not be good value, or anything resembling a tailored system for your business. We recommend you begin talks to move to the new technology sooner rather than later to ensure you receive the best fit and value for your business or home. There could well be a surge in requirements when the time to make the final switch approaches, which may cause delays in some services, a well thought out, proactive strategy is by far the best approach to this shift in technologies.
In Summary
Start thinking about what services could be affected by this historic technology change by BT. Engage with our experts at Juice who will run you through the process and provide you with everything you need to negotiate a smooth transition to the new network, and understand the benefits it can bring to your business. As part of our service, we’ll manage the whole process free of charge with your current supplier so you only ever need to speak with our team in Poole, who are always here to help answer any questions you have.
To book a free, no obligation comms review and make the first steps please email hello@juicebroadband.co.uk with Comms Review in the subject line.