Which means that your communications strategy could be in danger!

Digital services built on SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) will replace older PSTN networks (Public Switched Telephone Network), providing more capacity, higher speeds and a wide range of flexible features and benefits to customers.

However, there is significant work to be done to make this transition happen, and recent research suggests that more than 20% of businesses are in danger of being left behind. Should this happen, affected organisations will be forced into an emergency migration and left to manage the impact of all the uncertainty that an unplanned migration entails.

As more exchanges stop selling new ISDN connections (Integrated Services Digital Network), more businesses will join the rush towards digital communications.

This enormous surge in demand will stretch resources to the limit, which could result in significant lead times and delays for those organisations who leave it too late to migrate.

The move to hosted voice is unavoidable, but it is also greatly beneficial for your business. In fact, the potential benefits, including reduced costs, increased productivity, new ways of working, greater flexibility are all available right now.

This means that by choosing to upgrade now, you can reap the rewards of newer technology immediately and avoid the lengthy waiting lists that begin to form as Openreach stop selling new ISDN services and telecoms partners struggle to deal with the demand.

We are much closer to the Switch Off deadline than you may realise. What do we need to do?

The clock is already ticking and the Big Switch Off is already well underway. This simple five-step plan explains how you can prepare for the change and grasp the opportunity to save time and money by future-proofing your communications.

Step 1: Audit your current communications usage

Do you know what you have in place right now? Take an audit to assess your current communications set-up so you fully understand what needs to be updated. Don’t forget to check those easily forgotten details like fax machines, alarm systems, modems etc. Every single one of your ISDN connections will need to be replaced with an IP alternative.

Step 2: Find out when your legacy contracts end

Check to see when your local communications exchange is due to be issued with a stop sell notice.

Do your contracts expire before or after that date? A service still in contract after that date will continue to work - but you won’t be able to renew any agreements that expire.

It is also worth noting that if your contract expires after the stop sell, but before the 2025 switch off, you have no choice but to explore a next gen alternative as your current service will no longer be available.

Step 3: Define your future communications strategy

Meet with stakeholders within your business to determine current and future business requirements.

• Will you increase use of flexi-working?
• Are more of your staff working remotely?
• Is your equipment in need of any upgrade or replacement?

Answering these strategic questions will help you understand what your upgrade needs to achieve and help to future-proof your business communications.

Step 4: Assess potential of next gen technology

With your communications strategy defined you can investigate how newer technology can help you meet those goals.

Consolidating communications systems allows you to develop new, more efficient ways of working and potentially help to reduce current and future operating costs too.

Step 5: Speak to a telecom partner

We would be happy to support you on this project, so get in touch today and we’ll start mapping out your digital journey together.

Our real-world experience will help you navigate the various upgrade options, selecting the best solutions for your strategic goals.

Remember, the sooner you start, the sooner you can reap the benefits of an all-new digital communications system.

Get in touch with our customer service team Contact Us - s3 Communications Ltd for more information.