The ISDN & PSTN switch off. ​​Don’t be left in the dark!

BT Openreach have announced they will be switching off their existing PSTN and ISDN network by 2025 and switching to a single IP network. The BT ISDN switch off marks the next evolution of telecommunications technology.
Openreach therefore announced two target milestones to the industry.
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• From 2020, all PSTN and ISDN voice services would go End of Sale.
• From 2025, the PSTN and ISDN voice networks would be turned off.

What is PSTN?
“The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the aggregate of the world's circuit-switched telephone networks that are operated by national, regional, or local telephony operators, providing infrastructure and services for public telecommunication” - Source

Analogue voice data is sent over a circuit-switched phone line made up of copper wires which is owned and operated by your phone provider.

What is ISDN?
“Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a set of communication standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services over the traditional circuits of the public switched telephone network” – Source

ISDN was introduced in 1986, allowing both voice and data services to be delivered simultaneously. For the technology and services at the time, it served its purpose very well and continued to do so for many years.

Why Are BT Openreach Phasing Out ISDN and PSTN?
They are old fashioned technologies with associated maintenance costs and limitations. PSTN is the traditional telephone line network which carries analogue voice data over copper lines. This technology dates back to the late 1800’s and has served us well. However, new technology brings cost savings and increased reliability which means the end for the traditional telephone line. Technology has moved on and old telephone solutions are lagging behind the alternatives in an increasingly fast paced digital world.

Why is BT switching to IP?
The recent investment and nationwide roll out of superfast fibre internet provide a viable alternative. In fact, BT have not installed any new ISDN lines in central London since 2014 which goes to show that many businesses have already moved on. But switching over 3 million active ISDN users is no small task, which is why businesses have so much notice.

How to Prepare for The BT Openreach ISDN Switch Off
Although the BT ISDN end of life of 2025 has not been set in stone, businesses will be unable to buy systems that use ISDN & PSTN after 2020. If you currently have a traditional ISDN/PSTN based system, now is a good time to look at your options with us at The Technology Group.
Although there is plenty of time until 2025 rolls around, it’s always best to plan ahead. You may find you want to migrate sooner rather than later after discovering the benefits of upgrading now.

Top 5 Business Benefits of SIP and VoIP

1. Huge savings – Up to a 61% savings compared to ISDN due to cheaper calls and no more expensive line rental. There’s no need for masses of on-site equipment, you only pay for as many users as you require, and calls are made through internet lines.
2. Greater flexibility – Move anywhere in the UK and simply plug back into the network with no need to change numbers. The flexible nature of the technology allows you to easily add and remove users as you need. Physical location doesn’t matter, anywhere you’ve got an internet connection, you can have a number.
3. Faster installation – No more waiting for an engineer to install physical lines means you get connected faster. Easy setup & maintenance with little on-site equipment, setting up and maintaining the system is a much simpler job than with a traditional telephone system.
4. Higher resiliency – Multiple fibre lines can be installed providing an automatic backup and fail over, so you’re always connected.
5. Advanced features – Increased control, integration and analytics offers a huge range of new and advanced features.