And it’s good night from Beattie

A couple of months ago, I wrote this blog about the demise of the PSTN. I wrote that people have been forecasting such an event for many years now; well over a decade.

That post was prompted by lots of pertinent news activity in Europe over the last 12 months or so. The newswires reported several telecom operators, including Deutsche Telekom, announcing their intention to terminate ISDN access.

This post was prompted by BT’s announcement of a firm date for switching off its ISDN service.

The essence of what BT has made public is that it intends to migrate all of its customers on to a single IP core network, replacing all legacy networks and platforms, by 2025. By then, BT envisages all of its voice customers will be served using VoIP.

So it looks like the death knell of the legacy PSTN has been well and truly sounded, or the end of the world as we know it. I wouldn't give the seers too much credit though. They got it right, but never predicted the timeframe with any degree of accuracy.

Okay, you might argue about the death throes, given that BT has provided 10 years notice. However, in order to achieve its goal, BT will have to begin the process of migrating all of its customers off the ISDN network sooner than you might think.

Expect end-of-life notices to be issued, service by service, city by city, region by region, starting soon. Which means businesses will need to revisit their telecoms strategy sooner rather than later.

As I’m sure BT is only too aware, the options are not restricted to its IP voice offerings. There are lots of alternatives from which to choose.

The options for businesses range from a forklift upgrade, replacing legacy systems with an all-IP solution, through to the installation of gateways between legacy PBX equipment and new SIP trunking services. Of these examples, the former is strategic and the latter purely tactical.

Other strategic options include considering cloud telephony APIs, which have lately achieved a new level of credibility (see recent post). Such platforms can be used to integrate voice, readily and in a fundamental way, with many business processes and applications.

Regardless of your market sector or focus – healthcare, education, public safety, finance, government – now is very much the time to think strategically about your next generation communications.

Whatever you do, make sure it’s not too late in the day.

Archive

The Aculab blog

News, views and industry insights from Aculab

  • Choosing The Ideal Communication Platform: Key Considerations to Optimise Your Business

    Communication Platforms as a Service have become a necessity in the current digital age; allowing businesses to obtain frictionless means of communicating effectively. However, as technology rapidly evolves, so must communications. Much of the platforms on offer today are homogenous, so choosing the best fit for your business can be difficult. In this blog, we have shared some key points and trends for to consider, so your business can amplify communications and increase operational efficiency!

     

    Continue reading

  • 10 questions people are asking about The Big Switch Off

    With The Big Switch Off fast approaching, people naturally have questions and concerns ahead of the shutdown. The transition from conventional networks to digital technology is unavoidable in the fast-evolving world of telecommunications. In this blog, we address ten common questions people have about the Big PSTN Switch Off, shedding light on the topic and providing clarity.

     

    Continue reading

  • 3 Ways Your Business Can Benefit From a Communications Platform as a Service

    Acquiring a Communications Platform as a Service has become a very common trend for a variety of businesses in recent years. Even with AI and all the technological advancements that have been achieved, the world has come to realise that exceptional customer service is at the core of running and maintaining a successful business. So, we have identified a few ways in which a CPaaS could benefit your business!

    Continue reading

  • The Future of Communications: React Native SDK from Aculab

    Having access to quality, and trust-worthy digital communication platforms is essential in the contemporary business world. That’s why here at Aculab, we have employed the use of React Native – integrated into the WebRTC browser interface, we provide bespoke, human-centered, voice and video communication options

    Continue reading

  • The Future of Finance: Unlocking the Power of Biometrics

    Biometric technology works by using unique biological characteristics to identify individuals. Through its use of sensors and algorithms, it can capture and analyse biometric data and compare it with stored data to confirm an individual’s identity.

    Continue reading