Understanding the PSTN Switch Off

If you’d like more information or advice on the PSTN switch off, or Pyronix solutions, click here: https://bit.ly/35R1Waa

Last year BT began its rollout of the big Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switch off. Originally planning a 2025 completion date, BT has now announced that this has been paused. We look at what this means for you and what you need to be doing in the meantime.

What’s happening?

In 2015, in a step towards the future of communications, BT committed to switching off PSTN services completely by December 2025. Its phased implementation kicked off in September 2020, with a 2023 Stop Sell date placed – meaning no PSTN lines will be sold after this.

Why are they switching it off?

This was happening for a couple of reasons.?

First, is the drive towards digital technology and faster networks, which is naturally leading to the replacement of older infrastructures. In this case, the need for increased reliability and quality of broadband services over the last 10 years is leading to the removal of analogue copper networks, with the introduction of much faster and more functional digital IP (Internet Protocol) run via fibre network taking its place.?

Second, is the substantial cost savings this achieves - the network of copper wires required a significant amount of hardware maintenance and repairs, while the newer IP fibre network doesn’t; increasing the level of service and speed, at a much lower cost.

Why have BT paused the rollout?

BT underestimated the disruptive impact this would have on some customers, particularly those who are heavily reliant on landlines, with a need for better back-up solutions if there’s storms or power cuts. This was brought into focus by storms Arwen and Eunice, which left some customers in rural areas unable to contact loved ones during power outages, with BT recognising that power outages would leave customers with broadband-only connections completely unable to make calls.

As a result, the Digital Voice switch-overs are paused for all customers who don’t want to move to the new technology straight away, while BT work on more resilient back-up options. BT then aim to restart the switch off, with more resilient solutions in place, including hybrid phones able to switch to a mobile network, with in-built, long-lasting batteries, continued investment in mobile coverage and providing ‘mobile landlines’ for people without broadband.

Are there any exceptions?

The switch off will continue for those who already receive voice services over their fibre broadband, as well as customers in Salisbury and Mildenhall, where Openreach has been working closely with BT and other providers to trial the retirement and withdrawal of old, analogue landline technology.

My provider told me that my device would support older analogue devices, is this true?

While almost all new fibre systems will mean the removal of the traditionally used BT master socket when the rollout continues, these new installations will include hardware supplied to the property with a BT-style socket on the router, for connecting the home phone handset through the modem. This will convert analogue calls through the digital fibre network and back to analogue on the recipient’s end, but this won’t offer much help to security products for a few reasons:

The security system will presently be terminated in the phone master socket, which is usually found in the?hall. This will cease to function and the new router’s replacement for this will be a phone plug style connection on the router itself, which is often a number of rooms away from the old termination; requiring?re-cabling works that can be costly and impact the premises décor.?

The old master socket was always a reliable service in an emergency. Even in the event of a complete power loss in the area, the Openreach network from the local exchange provided a 50V supply to the master socket, meaning that even in the event of a power cut you had a working phone line for emergency calls and for the security system. Presently, under the new fibre network this is no longer the case – in the event of a loss of power, the router fails and so does the emulated phone line within it. It’s possible to provide an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) to power the router in the event of a power failure, however, these are costly and need maintenance.

Finally, there’s one remaining issue, the analogue communicator within the alarm system that sends fax-like tones down the phone line to a recipient computer within the monitoring stations, which understands the communication as an alarm condition. Using the new fibre router socket, the router converts the analogue signal to a digital signal, before sending it across the fibre IP network, where it’s converted back to analogue at its destination. This compresses the signal; reducing the tones and corrupting the information, while adding minute delays to vital handshakes between the communicating source and end recipient, that cause the connection to fail. Many systems have been modified and tested to suit the new network infrastructure on test facilities, but there are no certainties with legacy PSTN equipment on site.

Act now!

You need to make sure you’re switching your existing PSTN estates to IP (Wi-Fi and cabled LAN) and cellular (GSM, GPRS, 3G, 4G, 5G) communications. These will need to be switched to maintain complete functionality, which is particularly important for systems requiring professional monitoring. For any new installations, you need to focus on IP and cellular communications.

What’s the plan?

Don’t panic, although switching existing systems from PSTN will clearly have an overhead, this is actually beneficial to you and your customers. It’s an IP opportunity!

Professional monitoring alongside app compatible intruder alarm systems have already become an industry norm, with such solutions needing to use IP communications rather than PSTN anyway. So, if you’re not already, now’s the time to concentrate on the greater capabilities this offers and the resulting increase in the basket of goods and services, which bring universal benefits to you and your customers.?

By championing IP solutions, you can offer smart device apps, home automation, video integration, video verification and much more, with every sales and maintenance visit, while ensuring multi-path and cellular communications are used to maintain professional monitoring with the ARCs. With BT pausing the rollout for now, this is a guaranteed way of future-proofing your estate whatever happens.

By replacing Pyronix PSTN, with Pyronix IP and cellular, you enhance the capabilities of the system immediately, with compatibility with our HomeControl2.0 and ProControl+ smart device apps. These enable the user to remotely check on their home, arm and disarm, receive voice push notifications and much more.

Should the panel also be outdated and in need of modernising, this is the perfect opportunity to offer the Enforcer V11 system. Not only does this provide security, automation and video for the user, their property and their vehicles, but it also has Wi-Fi built onboard its main?PCB, which can be linked to the user’s existing Wi-Fi straight out of the box, as well as dual-path capability; enabling you to add an additional communication option should professional monitoring be required. All of which maximises the value to you and your customers.

It’s time to switch PSTN to IP and cellular communications to maximise value and future-proof your estate.

If you’d like more information or advice on the PSTN switch off, or Pyronix solutions, click here: https://bit.ly/35R1Waa