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BT Openreach are switching off their PSTN and ISDN services in December 2025. After this date, traditional telephone lines – which many businesses still rely on – will no longer work.
Other technology systems that run on traditional telephone lines – such as CCTV cameras, fax machines and point-of-sale (EPOS) devices – will also be affected and will no longer work as required.
Around 2.4 million businesses in the UK still operate on PSTN or ISDN, most of which are SMEs – if you’re one of them you should start planning your move to VoIP today.
You may think you still have plenty of time to migrate to VoIP, but for many companies, the migration is happening NOW.
Read on to find out more about migrating from ISDN to VoIP…
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VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol and is a cloud-based telephony solution.
VoIP can also be referred to as “internet telephony” and “IP telephony”.
VoIP services transmit voice and multimedia content via an internet connection. This means phone and video calls can be made from anywhere, at any time, using only a mobile device and an internet connection, which makes VoIP the perfect solution for businesses with remote and hybrid workers.
VoIP typically includes other features that aren’t available with traditional phone systems. These features can include call recording, custom caller ID, and voicemail to e-mail. This is why VoIP is also known as a unified communications (UC) solution.
As VoIP systems are cloud-based, they eliminate the need for telephone boxes, cabling and other on-site hardware.
VoIP phone systems offer a wealth of business benefits, including an easy setup process. Here are the steps you’ll need to take to successfully migrate from ISDN to VoIP:
With a clear picture of your ISDN/PSTN provision, you can now draw up a plan for your new VoIP solution.
Identify the features you want and expect from your new VoIP system, such as call queuing/ auto attendants, and define your overarching business goal – whether that be reduced operating costs or easier scalability.
You can then start planning the finer details and asking for employee feedback on the communication processes they’d like to see introduced.
Your migration plan is important for the next step, since it will help determine the VoIP provider you choose.
The best VoIP services are the ones that enable Unified Communications (UC), bringing together voice, video and data connectivity.
You should see your migration to VoIP as an opportunity to upgrade your business’s communication approach, so it’s best to look for a VoIP provider that offers different add-ons to their service plans.
VoIP features to consider include:
It’s also important to ensure you choose a service provider that offers excellent customer support and security. VoIP systems are held in the cloud, so strong security measures are essential to keep your network and data protected.
Once you’ve chosen your VoIP provider, it’s time to complete your office setup. Although VoIP technology itself doesn’t require any special hardware to run, you’ll need to connect some devices in order to start receiving calls.
For instance, some employees might want to connect their mobile phones to the VoIP interface, while others might want to continue using their desk phone.
Remote/hybrid workers will also need to ensure their smartphones, tablets or laptops are connected.
VoIP providers will often help to connect devices initially to ensure your VoIP system runs as it should.
Once your provider has finished setting up your new VoIP system, it’s important to test your VoIP connections.
Try calling someone or have someone call you so you can check the audio quality, latency and connection stability. If the call drops, or if there are audio delays, then these can be looked into instantly before they cause too many issues.
It’s also good practice to test the call quality of your new VoIP system when there’s a lot of network activity. Network congestion may affect call quality. This can be ironed out at the start if you highlight the problem during the testing stage.
Don’t forget to test the other functions of your VoIP system too. Features such as call routing, automated attendant services and remote communication should be tested as soon as possible so that any issues can be remedied quickly.
Transform your business today with our innovative and future-proof telephony services:
A hosted VoIP phone system is a unified communication solution that is hosted in the cloud. You can make and receive calls using IP handsets, mobiles or other devices, with the communication delivered via the internet.
Our expert and professional business phone systems enable you to never miss a call and stay connected with colleagues, partners, suppliers and customers.
Providing you with peace of mind and ongoing technical support, DVAD offers a range of maintenance packages. We want to make sure that your system keeps working to support your business, plus any required changes can be rapidly actioned so that you are not hindered by technical issues or faults.
“As part of a major reorganisation of our NHS client’s office space in Harrow, DVAD, who provide the VOIP telephony solution for the office, responded quickly and cost effectively to additional telephony requirements meeting a demanding timescale in an efficient manner. Thank you.”
Tim Pullan, Director, Ingleton Wood LLP
“Dealing with DVAD was a very simple and enjoyable experience. We'd had meetings with other suppliers, and by contrast they were able to instantly recognise our needs and make an appropriate proposal. Crucially all of this was done in a jargon-free manner that was easily understood by the layman. The installation of our phone system was quick, painless and everything worked first-time. The installation engineer was very quick and unobtrusive and also gave us a good basic training session which got us started. Our salesperson Steve was in touch throughout and took care to follow-up afterwards. First class service."
Damien Mullen, Managing Director, Mullen & Mullen
“DVAD have supported the growth of our business since 2004 and currently support our 22 sites from Exeter to Glasgow. Whether it is telephony hardware, security, call monitoring or
relocation of a depot, they have always recommended the right solution for our requirements and
budget”.
Chris Jowett AFI Group of Companies
"We had been approached on numerous occasions by other communication companies suggesting ways of improving our existing Alcatel system, but no other company prior to DVAD offered such a competitively priced upgrade and had such a wealth of knowledge and experience
regarding this particular system."
Jill Sunderland, Personal Assistant, Regent
"We would have no hesitation in recommending DVAD to any company wishing to improve their telephone system."
Jill Sunderland, Personal Assistant, Regent
“Throughout the transition of services from BT Featurenet to DVAD through contact communication we had the confidence that the project was in hand and there was minimal disruption to our service; When any questions did arise we have contacted the operations team who have provided us with clear and concise guidance.”
Sonia Latham, School Business Manager, Flockton CE First School
