With so many questions and uncertainties surrounding the Switch Off, our team look at the key topics surrounding this shift from traditional voice to fibre solutions with voice as an overlay product. Our team are also on hand to answer your questions, please contact us at media@pstnswitchoff2025.co.uk
Because BT’s decision to switch off the UK’s ageing copper telephone infrastructure isn’t just a question of unplugging one piece of kit and plugging in a new one. It’s moving from an infrastructure that’s externally-fed always-on fail-safe to one which is innately passive and requires you, the user, to provide the power and initiate the signal. It’s the biggest change to telecoms since the launch of the internet. But it’s all a bit ‘technical’ so nobody’s really talking about it.
Businesses can use the Fit to Switch website, events and resources to ensure they will be ready to switch over, keep their customers satisfied and improve and adapt to their own developing needs. Businesses can be confident communication and IT providers who are approved to use the Fit to Switch logo are in a position to assist in transitioning your network. Our resources can be accessed via the website and a series of events and other platforms, to ensure your company isn’t left behind.
VoIP is the main technology that will replace ISDN. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and allows your telephone service to be delivered across the internet. As it only requires an internet connection to work, you will no longer need to have costly, old-fashioned analogue phone lines in your offices. With VoIP, you will benefit from better call quality, greater flexibility and a lot more features than ISDN lines.
Services provided over PSTN (analogue) or, ISDN lines will be impacted and it is important to ensure they are moved to more modern solutions such as IP, VOIP, FTTP, wireless and cellular (4G/5G). Services that utilise PSTN and ISDN lines include; Traditional phone lines Alarm systems Fax machines Payment terminals Lift phones Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) broadband connections This list is not exhaustive but gives an insight in to the services this switch off will impact.
The PSTN switch-off is planned to take place in 2025, giving consumers and businesses ample time to make the necessary preparations. The government has made it a priority to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible, and has launched several initiatives to support consumers and businesses through the process. You can find out more about the UK’s transition from analogue to digital landlines, here.
