In December 2025 the UK’s old analogue telephone network – called the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) - will be switched off by BT Openreach. And the telecoms giant has announced that from the end of September 2023 it will not be taking orders for new wholesale PSTN or ISDN lines (view infographic).What is the PSTN and what does it do?
The PSTN is the old analogue network that supports a range of telephone and broadband services including basic telephone lines, ISDN2/30, standard ADSL broadband and Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) broadband.And other services connected to PSTN and ISDN lines will be affected, including alarms, door entry systems, faxes, EPoS devices and CCTV.
Why is it being switched off?
While PSTN has been the backbone of the UK’s phone network for years, more recent advancements in technology, including smartphones, apps, the cloud and video conferencing, means that it is not fit to support our communications needs into the future. And as everyone demands much more than the traditional technologies were designed to deliver, the UK, and indeed countries across the world, are making the switch from analogue to digital, whereby voice and other communications traffic will be routed over Internet Protocol (IP).
Is digital better?
Many businesses have already made the transition and are reaping the benefits as digital communications not only handle voice traffic well but offer a host of other features.Even at the basic level, you’ll be able to make calls on any device, pretty much from whenever you are, and all while retaining the same number.
You’ll also be able to link to all your business apps, including video conferencing, live chat, WhatsApp and collaboration tools. And with everything hosted in the cloud, access to systems is 24/7 enabling you to work from pretty much anywhere you want.
Further reading: the benefits of a modern VoIP telephone system
Further reading: VoIP telephone systems – common deployment challenges
Why is this important now?
If your business uses any of these services, or indeed are reliant on them, then you need to start putting in place a plan to transition to digital.We’re here to help make the transition as simple as possible for you and your business.
Our 3CX telecoms solution enables you to integrate multiple channels, such as voice, messaging, voicemail and content sharing. We’ll implement, integrate, manage and control your communications network and ensure that you get the right connectivity, based on your unique requirements.
For further information or to discuss your own situation please email us or call us on 01625 613 633.
