Reminder to businesses to switch from UK's analogue phone network
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Businesses are being urged to act now ahead of the switch off of the UK’s analogue phone network in 2025.
The move will see the traditional landline system transfer to a fully digital phone network in order to meet the demands of modern internet and mobile technology, with telephone wires and buried copper cables becoming a thing of the past.
Colin Hewitt, BT Product Specialist with Integrity IT Solutions, is advising any businesses which still rely on the analogue network to make the switch to digital now so they can take advantage of better connectivity and communications.
He said: “The transition to a digital phone service has been under way for some time, with many businesses and organisations having already made the move.
“This is an opportunity to not only ensure that you are ready for the future but also to make the most of the improved connectivity which comes with it.
“From making calls on any device from anywhere on the same number, to linking business applications with video calls and chat, the technology is there to help your business operate more efficiently and effectively.”
In 2015, Openreach announced that the existing copper Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) network would be switched off by the end of December 2025, with calls instead routed over Internet Protocol (IP), a faster, more reliable and more cost effective voice system.
Mr Hewitt said: “These traditional technologies have been the backbone of the UK’s landline network for decades but we’re now demanding much more from them than they were designed to deliver.
"It’s a similar situation to when the UK switched from analogue to digital television in 2012.
“Although 2025 may seem like a long time away, from September 2023 Openreach will not instal any new PSTN or ISDN lines so it’s worth looking into the alternatives sooner rather than later so businesses are not caught out.”
The 2025 switch off covers the whole of the UK, including any rural areas where broadband is not currently available.
As part of the process, these areas will be upgraded or services accessed via alternatives such as 5G solutions.
