The UK’s PSTN network will switch off in 2025

What does this mean?

BT are moving all their customers from the old analogue public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a fully digital network. It’s already started. BT plan to have moved everyone over before Openreach stop the PSTN (and ISDN) service in 2025. By then, every phone line in the UK will be digital, routing calls over IP (Internet Protocol) rather than the traditional PSTN.

 It’s not just your phone services you need to think about. It’s everything else that currently uses the old phone network, all your non-voice services connected to PSTN or ISDN lines. Things like alarms, EPOS machines, door entry systems, CCTV, and faxes.

PSTN has been the backbone of the UK’s phone network for decades. But we’ve all seen the dramatic changes in technology over the past few years, especially recently. It’s all around us: smartphones, apps, the cloud, Zoom, Internet of Things, and so on.

What you probably don’t notice so much is the infrastructure that makes everything work. The telephone lines strung across the streets, the web of copper cables buried beneath your feet, some of which have been down there since the 19th century.

So IP is better than PSTN?

Yes. As an essentially 20th century technology, the PSTN network is increasingly out of kilter with the demands of modern communications. As people switch to mobile and internet communications, everyone demands much more than the traditional technologies were designed to deliver. Which is why we’re switching to IP. It’s now time to leap forward from PSTN to embrace the boundless possibilities of digital.

This switch off is happening all over the world not just the UK. Estonia and The Netherlands are already there and have switched off their PSTN networks.

Are you ready?

You need to start planning your move today because there could be a lot to do. Remember, it’s not just about calls. You need to review everything you’re connecting to your phone lines, like door entry systems and alarms. Many businesses have already embraced an all-digital model, moving their communications to the cloud, making calls over the internet and embracing video conferencing.

Contact Emma Dyos our Business Consultant here at ASK to help get your business ready!

“We’ve got connectivity and networking covered, with a comprehensive range of access technologies, speeds, and resilience options to choose from. We can recommend the best options for you based on your situation and what you’re wanting to achieve. Businesses often use phone lines for more than just phone calls. Upgrading to digital will have an impact on how these special services work, so it’s vital that you track down everything that’s running off your PSTN and ISDN lines.”

e: emma@askmobilephones.com
m: 07487 822 612
t: 01743 343 579