Lower the cost of telephony and move toward the latest technologies, as and when it suits your business. Maintain the legacy PBX systems and integrate with the latest VoIP systems so your business can maximise investment.
We are NOT tied to any manufacturer or provider and do not have to sell equipment to maintain partner agreements which allows true and unbiased advice to be given to match your business requirements.
PSTN SWITCH OFF
BT in the UK and Ireland are one of the last telcos to switch off the legacy PSTN analogue land lines and ISDN services - December 2026 is the new target date to have all connectivity using IP {postponed yet again}. The following table shows the main elements to consider to be ready for the switch off
| PSTN analogue deskphones and landline telephones | connect using an ATA {Analogue Telephone Adaptor} to allow the legacy phones to be used on VoIP systems/networks OR replace with VoIP telephones |
| landline connected DECT telephones | connect using an ATA as above or move to a VoIP enabled DECT telephones OR replace with VoIP enabled DECT telephones |
| VoIP ready DECT telephones connected to landlines | connect and/or verify the VoIP connectivity for the VoIP DECT telephones |
| FAX machines, franking machines, alarm monitoring, security etc | connect using an ATA {Analogue Telephone Adaptor} to allow the equipment to be used on VoIP systems/networks OR replace with VoIP enabled equipment |
| Legacy PBX telephone systems - careful consideration needed | check and install VoIP interface and connect to a VoIP provider or install a VoIP gateway to allow the legacy system to conntinue to work via VoIP instead of PSTN land lines and/or ISDN PRI/BRI services OR add VoIP gateway to migrate to VoIP as and when the business is ready OR replace with VoIP PBX system OR migrate to cloud/hosted PBX system........... |
| Legacy PBX telephones - careful consideration needed | can continue to work on the existing legacy PBX via above connectivity - can also usually be migrated to new VoIP PBX systems if and when the business is ready to move and has made best use of any existing PBX systems and support contracts AND/OR integrate with VoIP gateway AND/OR integrate with cloud/hosted solutions.......... |
| DID (Direct Inward Dial) numbers {your telephone number} for landlines and ISDN services | port the numbers to VoIP providers - often free or at very little cost - so you can continue to make and recieve calls using the numbers - important to look at the alternatives because telcos will often charge a lot for default migration |
| Smart telephones | continue to use smart phones on the cellphone networks and add apps to allow VoIP integration with any of your new VoIP providers and/or VoIP PBX connections - usually you can use a smartphone to make and receive calls via your chosen VoIP systems no matter where you are in the world and use all of your VoIP features without additional costs |
| Internet routers | make sure they will support VoIP and any of the equipment selected for your solution - the basic router/hub supplied by Telcos for small offices and homes are usually NOT the best for speed, reliability and functionality. It is worth investing in a good router and also considering dual routers for automatic failover if the telephone services are crucial for your business |
| Backup systems | remember that, when the PSTN landlines are gone, there will be no emergency service available during any power outages. When the Internet is down you will not have any connectivty to the outside world unless you provision for failover and backup solutions |
| System Integration | consider full integration - smart home (alarm, heating, A/C, telephony, lighting, alexa, cctv, leak detection, solar/wind power, call blocking, call routing) - smart office (CRM, database, voice recording, unified voicemail, virtual call center, call blocking, call routing, reporting...) |
More Information
Read some of our documentation that may help you refine your requirements and fully understand the options available
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Current consultant locations ;
UK (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, London)
EU (Dublin, Amsterdam)
US (Florida, California)
Downloads;
see also Guide to PSTN switch off doc extract
and PSTN switch off detailed OPTIONS extract
and low cost solutions for PSTN switch off
and SOHO Appliance Basic Guide
and SIP Trunk ITSP Guide
