Proactive planning now, will address any potential issues and help you minimise disruption

According to the “Switch On to the Switch Off” survey March 2021, 83% of organisations indicated they had no visibility of when their services would be switched off and 46% have no idea that their existing analogue phone and ISDN services will be switched off completely by December 2025.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a telephone network that allows both voice and data services to be delivered over digital lines simultaneously, while PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) is the older analogue telephone network. These aging infrastructures use underground copper telephone lines and old signalling methods which are planned to be completely switched off nationally by 2025.

Due to the number of telephone exchanges this involves in the UK, this will be an ongoing programme affecting all main carriers, not just BT, with a significant number of the changes happening from 2022 onwards.

77% of organisations surveyed said they have not prepared for any disruption the switch off of these services may cause.

This change will not just affect voice calls, but security, well-being and any equipment reliant on these services and the longer actions are delayed, the more problematic the situation may become, accentuated by several factors which could intensify the complexity of the switch off, for example: -

•   The number and location of sites involved

•   The number of suppliers involved

•   Availability and accuracy of records kept

•   Resource, expertise and legacy knowledge available in-house

•   Variation in applications, which may result in more bespoke solutions being needed

•    Long contract durations restricting options

•   Electrification for any new solutions needed and / or the availability of network coverage

•   Space / storage requirements

•   Budget planning to cover the cost of any changes needed

Let us guide you through all aspects of this change, identifying what the risks are to your organisation, how to mitigate these risks, what you need to do and when you need to do it by.

Planning ahead will limit risk and ensure: -

•   You control suppliers, they don’t control you – hosted / cloud services or IP telephony are not always the answer!

•   You receive independent guidance enabling you to see the whole picture, not just the effects of the switch off on your organisation

•   Positive house-keeping benefits including clarity, control and cost savings

•   Future proofing your organisation – security, reliability, flexibility and scalability

•   A panic free transition – gaining control, staying in control without any added stress