Since the announcement of the ‘Great British switch off’, there has been widespread panic about what this can mean for our landlines. As there has been a tendency for fear mongering, promising landline extinction, this has led to a great deal of disinformation circulating the internet.
So, if you are concerned about how your business landline might stand the test of time, let us take a look at what the future holds for our landlines.
Let us break it down
To fully understand whether business landlines might become extinct, it is important to differentiate between the hardware and the way that they operate. This will allow you to consider all the possibilities of how landlines might adapt, transform, or die out.
In order to do so, let us look at the hardware and the lines they run through individually – otherwise known as private branch exchanges (PBX), which operate via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or the integrated services digital network (ISDN).
First, let us take a look at the phone lines
The physical network of copper wires through which our landlines operate is known as the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Despite being upgraded in the century it has been in operation, the protocols of its operation largely remain the same. Due to this, BT OpenReach plans to switch off the PSTN in 2025.
The PSTN carries both analogue and digital telephone signals, the latter of which is known as the integrated services digital network (ISDN). Thus, if your landline runs via the PSTN or ISDN, then your phone will be disconnected in 2025 when the switch off takes place.
This means that in order to future-proof your landline, every business or dwelling will need to consider a phone that operates through a PSTN replacement, such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP). In this sense, you can ensure that your landline calling capabilities will not become extinct in the next few years.
What about the hardware?
To phase out traditional private branch exchanges (PBX), there is a ‘Stop Sell’ system that will come into effect in 2023. This means that no products, PBXs, or new lines will be allowed to be sold by telephony wholesalers if these products or systems operate through the PSTN.
Thus, in the next year or so, traditional PBXs will begin to become outdated. Though you might play the waiting game and hope that nothing goes wrong with your landline after 2023, it might be time to look at an upgrade.
VoIP telephony is hosted in the cloud, which means that it can be used on any device with internet connectivity. This means you can make phone calls on your desktop PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone through an online portal.
However, this does not mean that the landline PBX will go extinct – VoIP can also be used through a PBX as long as it has internet access and VoIP capabilities. Thus, you may be able to keep your business landline, as long as you upgrade to a PBX that supports the right software.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it is clear that the old landlines we know and love are on their way out. However, this will only make room to usher in a new and improved generation of business landlines, with increased efficiency, connectivity, and capabilities.
