Publish date: 12.07.22

500 locations in the UK are expected to no longer offer copper phone lines by August 2022. It’s now time to leap forward from PSTN to embrace the boundless possibilities of cloud telephony. By the end of 2025 all PSTN and ISDN networks will be switched off with some areas already in the process. We are recommending organisations start making plans for the switch off and check when existing telecoms contracts are due for renewal. We believe using this time to make a considered decision will bring many benefits to your business and allow you to make sure the supplier you choose has the technical expertise to support you.

What are PSTN and ISDN?

A public switched telephone network (PSTN) refers to a telecommunications network which allows subscribers at different sites to communicate by voice, transmitted through a network of copper wires. This has been the primary method of transmitting phone calls and fax transmissions for several decades. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) uses digital transmission to make phone calls, video calls and transmit data over these PSTN circuits.

Why can they no longer compete?

  • Incapable of delivering the volume or quality of voice data needed in an increasingly digital environment
  • All voice calls in the future will be made over the internet – often referred to as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), which makes use of newer technologies such as fiber optic connectivity
  • It ties businesses to physical locations and with the shift to cloud-based systems that are scalable for remote working, IP technology is a better choice to meet demands of flexibility.

What can you achieve when making the switch?

Even at the most basic level, cloud telephony liberates your communications from the confines of the office, with numbers that follow you wherever you go. UC allows organisations to combine channels, such as voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging, voicemail, and content sharing into a single, streamlined interface. It also has the ability to integrate your telephony with existing CRM systems and business applications, putting callers’ identity and history at operators’ fingertips to improve the speed and quality of customer service. This provides employees with immediate access to all relevant tools within a centralised and consistent environment.

We have seen the following positive outcomes with some of our customers who have switched to a UC solution:

  • Cost: On average a 30% saving on total cost of ownership
  • Risk: 99.9999% service availability due to disaster recovery built in with multiple datacentres
  • Environment: 30-90% reduction in carbon emissions after migrating to the cloud
  • Productivity: 50% improvement in agent productivity (Aberdeen Group)
  • Experience: 3x increase in customer satisfaction scores (Aberdeen Group)

Find out more about Xeretec Unified Communications here

Why wait to reap the rewards?

If you would like to gain some advice from one of our specialists, please get in touch