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BT announced back in 2015 that they would be turning off the ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network) and PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) and switching to new digital lines — known as the BT Switch Off.
As our technology advances and more of our communications take place over the internet, such as FaceTime, Skype and Zoom calls — for both personal and business use — our network becomes more strained. The copper network currently used for our telecoms can’t keep up with the faster and slicker alternatives.
This was made clearer by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as more people conducted business and personal calls online. Demand on these systems increased exponentially during this time and since the shift to remote working has become the norm, this demand has only decreased slightly since 2020.
From 2025 phone calls will be made through new IP technology and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) technology, which is much faster, clearer and more advanced.
PTSN is the existing infrastructure that we use for telecommunications. It was originally designed for copper cables and analogue voice communications. In 1980, the network went through an overhaul and the ISDN was introduced, to allow both voice, video, images and more to be sent through the communications network.
IP technology is what will replace the PTSN in 2025 and often known as digital phone services or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This technology allows telephone services to be routed over the internet instead of traditional wires and phone lines as long as you have access to the internet, over a strong connection.
Many care homes still use traditional copper networks for their homes telephone and internet connections but by 2025, this will no longer be possible. Those who do not implement cloud phone systems before the PSTN switch off may find themselves not being able to make phone calls amongst other things.
Any alarm systems that are connected to phone lines, particularly those which are operating on legacy hardware, will be inoperable after the switch. Other aspects such as lift alarms and other points of contact in an emergency, often run on PSTN and will need to be upgraded.
For care homes, these are essential in ensuring the safety of service users, so it is imperative that homes begin upgrading to VoIP systems as soon as possible.
Even though the switch off isn’t taking place until 2025, the sooner you upgrade the quicker you can save on costs. Many businesses have both telephone and internet access, each comes with its own cost. However, switching over to VoIP calling brings them both together resulting in a much lower overall cost, as well as improved accessibility and high-quality video conferencing.
Some hardware your home uses may not be suitable come 2025. This means that your home will need to invest in upgrading its devices and other hardware before the deadline. The sooner this happens the easier the VoIP transformation will be. Your home may also need to purchase new handsets, retiring outdated equipment and ensure IT personnel are familiar with the new phone service dashboard.
How can CareDocs help?
Whilst we can’t support you in the transition to VoIP, we can help support your home with making the move to digital through our person centred software. CareDocs is the UK’s leading person centred software provider and can help you deliver an enhanced care experience to your service users.
To learn more about our software and what it can do for your care home, get in touch with our friendly team on 0330 056 333 or email sales@caredocs.co.uk.
Why not book a free demo of our software? Try it out for yourself here.
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