VOICE COMMUNICATIONS
Harnessing the potential of voice communications to be more productive
Paul Grant, Channel Manager UK&I, Snom Technology
The way we work has changed significantly in recent years. New digital tools and technologies are making it possible for people to work from anywhere and everywhere, leading to a rise in remote and hybrid working. However, among the many communication channels used by workers – which now include video conferencing and instant messengers – voice still has an important role to play. Far from dying off as some have predicted previously, telephony remains key, particularly for small and medium sized businesses who are customer-facing. The office telephone, that traditionally remained fixed on workers desks, has needed to evolve to respond to current demands. Businesses can take advantage of network transformation and the impending ISDN switch off to adopt high-speed infrastructures, such as IP telephony, which will boost and improve office communications. Impact of the ISDN switch off The UK’s ageing ISDN and PSTN public telephone networks, which are reliant on underground copper wires, will be switched off by December 2025, to be replaced with a fully
digital network based on Internet Protocol (IP). This will lead to a huge shift in the way people and businesses make phone calls. The existing ISDN network is outdated and offers little flexibility, with businesses tied to physical locations. But the new high-speed digital network will provide much faster and more flexible communications. Worryingly though, many organisations are still not prepared for the disruption that the switch off may cause them. Businesses should already be looking at how they can use more advanced technology, such as IP telephony, to ensure their workforce can remain connected as the UK makes the transition away from copper-based phone lines. Compatibility with IT systems and applications With the internet and telephony converging, IP technologies can provide numerous advantages. For example, they can be easily integrated with other business applications, such as a company’s CRM – enabling phone conversations with customers to be recorded and transcribed automatically and data managed much more easily. Any devices that are used must be
Paul Grant Channel Manager UK&I
snom.com/en
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