ISDN SWITCH-OFF
Are UK businesses prepared for the ISDN switch off?
A big change to the UK telecommunications network is coming which will affect businesses of all sizes and from all sectors.
The ageing ISDN and POTS public telephone networks, which are reliant on underground copper wires, will be switched off by 2025. These will be replaced with a fully digital network based primarily on fiber optics and Internet Protocol (IP). We’re already starting to see these changes being rolled out. The ISDN switch off hit a major milestone in early September 2023, as BT Openreach introduced its national ‘stop sell’ initiative, where it ceased sales of traditional phone lines. While the change will provide businesses with faster and more flexible communications, many organisations have not yet prepared to make the switch – or planned for the disruption it will cause. Businesses must waste no time in investing in alternative options to ensure they don’t get left behind. In particular, they should look at what Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems can do for them. Rebranded as “Digital Voice” in the UK, this technology allows audio calls to be made on a global scale via an internet connection – and offers much more than just making a phone call. Benefits of making the switch One of the main advantages of VoIP is its cost- effectiveness and flexibility. It allows businesses to configure or scale their communications infrastructure as required, adding multiple devices and users to a single line. The flexible deployment of new extensions in “plug & play mode” can be especially beneficial for businesses with multiple departments across different sites. ISDN phone systems simply don’t provide this flexibility and will often require the physical installation of a new line which can result in additional costs and time to get up and running.
VoIP also provides a range of features and functions that are not available with ISDN. For example, businesses can make and receive calls from anywhere with an internet connection, without the need for redirection to a private number. This makes it an ideal solution for remote and hybrid working models which have seen a rise in popularity since the pandemic. These internet-based networks allow organisations to link to their IP-based phone system and carry out remote device maintenance and security checks with ease. New functions can be added or customised remotely with a simple software update. Incorporating advanced features IP-based phone systems can now also offer businesses far more than just simple communications. By integrating with KNX, an open standard for commercial and residential building automation, phones can be used to control a variety of smart tasks and functions for office-based businesses. For example, they can turn lights on or off, adjust their dimness, lower blinds or open windows with a simple programmed command. The integration also enables automated control of room temperature and monitoring of air quality – creating cost and energy savings for businesses. Snom has pursued the integration of its IP phones with building automation for some time now. Its patented method enables users to control KNX-capable devices using non- KNX capable IP devices. A KNX gateway need only be integrated once into the KNX system before the end user of one of Snom’s IP devices can then choose which button on the telephone controls which circuit. The possibility to automate office-based
Rebranded as “Digital Voice” in the UK, this
technology allows audio
calls to be made on a global scale via an internet connection – and offers much more than just making a phone call.
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