The Importance of Auditing Your Telephony Estate in Time for the Analogue and ISDN Switch-Off

In November 2017,?BT Openreach?announced its intention to switch off analogue and ISDN lines in 2025, affecting PSTN-based services and some broadband services. This means that, if your organisation is using analogue phone lines, ISDN or broadband services running over analogue lines, at the end of December 2025 these will be switched off and become end-of-life.

(See also:?“Analogue Exchange Lines Approaching End of Life: What You Need to Know”)

How to Prepare for the Analogue and ISDN Switch-Off

There are a number of questions that you will need to ask yourself in preparation for the analogue and ISDN switch-off. For example, you’ll need to understand all of the lines and devices that will be affected by the switch-off. What numbers will be affected and who are the current carriers?

You’ll also need to identify any legacy analogue requirements that can’t be served via an analogue or ISDN replacement, such as lift lines, alarm lines or any remaining legacy fax-type devices. In this instance, you will need to identify a suitable replacement for the services that cannot be migrated away from analogue or ISDN.

There are two key types of audit to undertake in preparation for the switch-off – a handset audit and a usage audit. Below we break down what each of these audits should entail, as well as some top tips for carrying them out.

Conducting a Handset Audit

It’s important to let the market know what it is that you want to go to the market for. This allows the market to effectively offer:

• Fixed discount levels.
• Accurate scope and cost management and support wraps.

Auditing the current environment will help with the following:

• It allows you to profile the types of users and devices that require connection.
• It identifies which users can be delivered by alternative means. It will likely not just be a case of replacing a handset with a handset; different users will have different needs such as softphones or mobiles.
• It allows for any remedial works to be planned ahead of time, such as the availability of cabling, power or PoE network switches.
• It allows you to create a current position statement on all systems in use.
• It allows you to capture anything out of the ordinary and/or identify where specialist configuration is required.

Having accurate information will mean:

• A faster deployment that has been effectively and accurately planned out.
• A more accurate budget can be set.
• There will be no need to re-negotiate the discount rates offered at tender due to inaccurate sizing.
• You can effectively reduce the number of devices purchased by offering softphones or mobile applications for certain users.

Conducting a Usage Audit

Consider the usage of your current solution and how your needs may have changed over time. Are any lines or devices no longer a requirement? This can be ascertained by analysing carrier bills or carrying out reports on call logging solutions. Current usage can also be reported as part of a physical handset audit through communication with your various departments and users.

Seeking Advice from an Expert Telephony Consultant

In order to help organisations to prepare for the analogue and ISDN switch-off, telephony experts 4C Strategies are offering a free workshop to any organisation seeking advice. Our specialists can give an overview of the issues you may face and some pointers as to how best to proceed.

Therefore, if you would like to receive specialist assistance in order to ensure maximum preparedness ahead of the analogue and ISDN switch-off, book your free workshop today by calling?01858 438938, or emailing?[email protected].

Read more about our telephony services?here.