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Are you ready for the switch off?

By David Szreider

Communications Sales Manager

ACS

Is the ISDN switch off on your radar? If not, it should be and here’s why.

Since the mid-Eighties, much of our telephony infrastructure has been facilitated by the copper cables that run above and below our streets. Strung between wooden telephone poles across the countryside, they look innocuous enough but, with the modern demands of connectivity, the network is no longer physically up to the task. Businesses are already looking to alternatives and the wisest have already ensured their businesses won’t be affected, when the old analogue network starts to be switched off in 2025, by integrating the new VoIP model into their operations.

Why is the ISDN network being switched off?

With over 31 million telephone lines in the UK, the cost of maintaining these ageing copper cables is increasing, engineers are retiring, and spare parts are becoming harder to find. Not only that, but with the advances in internet technology, there seems little reason to keep the ISDN network running, when internet connections are infinitely more capable, and investing in modern technology will mean a better network for everyone rather than just those who don’t want to embrace new technology.

What alternatives to ISDN are available?

The ISDN network sends voice data in much the same way as our internet connections do for our media and websites, and as such, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is nothing new, having been popularised by Skype, back in the age of dial-up connections. Since then, the technology has been adopted by businesses large and small and has become a superior service, compared to traditional telephony, because of its ability to integrate related features like voicemail and messaging as well as collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams.

How do I get VoIP services?

Firstly, you need to ensure your existing connectivity is up to the task. Some VoIP providers estimate the minimum requirements for a small office at 5Mbps download and 2Mbps upload, but as the number of lines increases, so does the bandwidth required to facilitate the service.

If you’re stuck in the middle of a contract and your existing connectivity isn’t up to scratch, partnering with an experienced and unbiased vendor like ACS, will not only help you find the right service for your business, but can also cover the early termination costs of your contract, so that your business can take advantage of the benefits that VoIP a service can provide as quickly as possible.

Whether you like it or not, the ISDN Switch Off is happening and businesses need to be considering their options before the deluge of last-minute-adopters race to get their connectivity upgraded before 2025. Getting your solution in place now ensures you’re not limited by a network provider’s installation time and can integrate the service into your daily operations with plenty of time to work out any issues.

ACS are carrier agnostic, with no commissions, so that you know for sure that the advice given is the best for your business. With ACS’s experience in office design too, no matter where your business is in its digital transformation, ACS can support the transition and implementation of your strategy, to ensure you take full advantage of the new features that VoIP provides.

Call 01604 704000, email or visit acs365.co.uk for more information.

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