When we have mentioned the ISDN Switch Off of 2025, and the gradual “stop sell” between now and 2023, the general response is followed by an eye roll and tut. As if to say, “as if Openreach will hit target”.
Openreach confirms 117 Telephone Exchanges that will no longer be used for the provision of new telephone lines or new traditional broadband products introducing an ISDN Switch Off
The plans are well underway, as in June this year (yes, June 2021) Openreach have confirmed that 117 exchanges will have a “stop sell” on all legacy voice and data products that use a traditional phoneline (PSTN/ ISDN) this move comes after a successful stop sell trial in Salisbury.
From June the 29th 2021, all orders of non-Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) Broadband or SoGEA Broadband (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access) will be rejected (where one of these products are available).
The Details:
The “stop sell” will apply at both commercial and residential premises that have access to one of the FTTP or SoGEA broadband products
Where the afore mentions premises have access to FTTP/ SoGEA Broadband, stop the sale of all legacy products will apply to include PSTN/ ISDN Phone lines and traditional Broadband. This means that no new services will be offered in these areas. Furthermore, also included in this are; moving providers, adding broadband to existing phone lines, or modifications such as bandwidth to an existing service or restarting a stopped service.
When a premise has FTTP/ SoGEA available to order then only FTTP/SoGEA will be available for new supply. As this new wave of technology becomes available at additional premises post stop to sell, these premises will be added to the stop sell immediately.
If you are in any of these areas below or want to get ahead of the curve. Please feel free to get in touch and we can talk you through the implications and benefits of moving to fibre connectivity and a cloud voice telephone service. E: liam.bonthron@dbgroupeurope.com
ISDN Switch Off - Stop Sell – Affected Telephone Exchanges:
Achieving ‘Net Zero’ is when any Greenhouse gases that you produce are monitored and an equivalent amount is removed from the atmosphere to offset this. This may be within one site, across the entire company or throughout the whole value chain of the business.
The concept of ‘Net Zero’ is gaining traction with many industries and businesses from all different sectors. This is being driven by the UK and Scottish government targets for Net Zero by 2045 and 2050.
There are many different definitions of what ‘Net Zero’ entails and exactly what it means. Ultimately DB Group believes that achieving net zero as a business means that any greenhouse gases that you create are balanced out by your removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Some organisations may reference a net-zero carbon target, but this only commits to the balancing of carbon dioxide emissions and not any other Greenhouse Gases, which is not enough on its own to meet government targets. Furthermore, The UK government targets only require net-zero to be achieved within the borders of the UK. This means you may meet their definition of ‘Net Zero’ yet your business may cause the emission of Greenhouse Gases in other nations.
However, whilst a goal to be fully net-zero across your whole value chain is admirable and to many might be an achievable aim it is important to be realistic with any targets that are set and the timescales that these can be achieved in. It may be more beneficial, and achievable, to start focussing on net-zero within individual sectors of your business or only emissions created domestically, and then this can be expanded upon in the future.
Our Pledge:
“Net zero will revolutionise the way we structure our daily practices on environmental management. Defining your own Net Zero aspirations will prove challenging although taking the necessary steps to plan your strategy, engagement with experts and creating realistic targets and goals will be critical to the success of your project. At DB Group we have pledged to reduce our carbon emissions in line with the government guidelines and have already achieved a Future Net Zero Standard which complements our existing achievements of maintaining our ISO 14001 accreditation since 2016. With future projects to install Solar and EV charging points and having already installed LED lighting and efficient boilers, we are confident that we can achieve our Net Zero definition in advance of the Government target of 2045.”
What is the process?
Before setting any net zero targets we must first establish what exactly is feasible within your company. The first stage in order to do this is to understand the energy needs and current emissions that your business produces before we can understand what we can change in order to improve this. Our plan would be to follow each of these steps.
Measure and monitor current energy use through technology and site visits to establish current output and total emissions
Establish where we can reduce energy consumption through both efficiency measures and behavioural factors.
Offer alternative, lower carbon, energy alternatives for the remaining energy use.
Once emissions are reduced as much as possible within the scope of the business, we can look to offset any remaining emissions.
From this data and decarbonisation plan we can look to set ambitious yet achievable targets for Site specific or companywide Net Zero.
As shown in these steps, the ‘offsetting’ of greenhouse gases comes last in the process of becoming net zero. This is the hardest and often the most expensive step, yet it is important to note that technology is always improving. The biggest impact that you can have in starting the process to Net Zero is reducing your energy consumption to as low as effectively possible in the first instance. Once this is at a low base level, we can look at low carbon alternatives for this energy use and then measures to offset any remaining emissions. Therefore, it is crucial that once we get to this step that the emissions are as low as possible. Unfortunately, whilst it may seem easier to keep your current level of energy consumption and simply offset this whole amount, on a practical level this would not usually be possible as well as being extremely expensive. Behavioural changes and efficiency measures are still an extremely important part of the process.
Why should we set net zero targets?
There are a number of reasons why as a business you may be looking to move towards Net Zero.
One of the biggest drivers in this is the government targets. In 2019, in an amendment to the Climate Change Act the UK government passed legislation committing it to achieving at least a 100% reduction in carbon emissions relative to the levels in 1990. This means that to encourage businesses to transition to net zero there are a number of Scottish and UK funding opportunities and grants to aid this transition to a lower carbon future. This is something that may be reduced as this becomes more expected so it can be beneficial to be at the forefront.
Furthermore, there will be natural movement towards a greener future through already existing requirements for businesses such as the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) and the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) requirements. These schemes already require businesses to record and report their energy use, carbon emissions and ensure compliance with efficiency legislation.
All of this combined with an international movement towards achieving net zero means that now is the time to look to the future of your emissions and establish a plan. It is going to start becoming harder and more expensive to continue without changing path and tackling your businesses greenhouse gas emissions.
By striving towards targets of net zero you can set yourself up as an industry or sector leader and show your commitment towards a more sustainable future. This is something that can be advertised and marketed effectively and is becoming more and more important to a large number of consumers and customers.
What can DB Group do?
DB Group can help with the process from start to finish and manage your net Zero strategy.
We will start by monitoring your energy use and emissions as well as listening to your needs and requirements. This will include comprehensive and accredited verification platforms to track and manage your progress across all your sites. We will produce surveys to analyse your infrastructure and processes to understand the full opportunities that you would have available.
We will deliver a carbon management plan with a scope of works highlighting how, why, what and where to achieve your Net Zero Targets. At this stage we will be able to inform on what can and can not be achieved which will allow for a more streamlined focus
DB Group can also assist in the funding and help to establish any grants, loans or funds that would be accessible for a carbon reduction project such as this one and where they can be utilised at each step of the project.
Ultimately, we will assist in establishing a plan on how we can make your processes more efficient, introducing low carbon alternatives and allow for offsetting of any remaining emissions.
This will allow us to work together to create ambitious yet achievable targets and ensure our path to Net Zero is a successful on
We are excited to announce a significant change to our online presence as we continue to grow and expand our services. In order to streamline our offerings and provide you with a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience, we have moved all our energy, water, and environmental service pages to new locations.
From now on, all water and energy service pages that were previously available on www.dbgroupeurope.com can be found on www.zenergi.co.uk.
For all environmental services, we have created a dedicated platform at www.briar.zenergi.co.uk.
This transition reflects our commitment to constantly improve our services and cater to the growing demands of the energy, water, and environmental sectors. We believe that these changes will provide a better user experience and make it easier for you to find the resources and support you need.
Please be aware that the www.dbgroupeurope.com domain will no longer be updated with the latest information, so we kindly ask you to update your bookmarks and visit our new websites for all your future inquiries.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued trust and support. We are confident that these changes will enhance your experience with us and enable us to serve you even better in the future.
The ’80s were well known for extreme fashions and the ever-changing music scene. Bringing us genres like New Wave, Punk, and Rock to name a few. For many, the ’80s was also the age of the VHS after it’s legendary battle to capture the video market from Betamax.
It was an interesting time for technology. We saw the launch of the first Apple Mac and Microsoft Windows Computers. Something else that launched in the ’80s was ISDN. This stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. The most common use of ISDN allowed simple phone lines to send data. This was then used by Phone Systems to enable them to make Voice Calls.
Mixtapes have become Spotify...
Many businesses are still using ISDN in their telecoms set up today. This was revolutionary in the 80s but the same cannot be said for today. Mixtapes have become Spotify. VHS has become DVDs and has since evolved into Netflix. The original Apple Mac has evolved 100 times over with the technology now being found in watches, phones, tablets, laptops, and TVs. ISDN was acceptable in the ’80s… but we are not in the ’80s anymore.
ISDN to be phased out
Recently, we wrote an article about the ISDN Switch-Off that goes into more detail on the process and time scales. Between now and 2025 ISDN will be phased out and replaced with IP Telephony. This is not a new concept, IP Telephony is tried and tested. Personally, I have used IP Telephony in some form for the last 10 years, and for the last 4 years, I have not even had a phone on my desk.
IP Telephony routes
IP Telephony has several different flavors, however, there are 3 main routes that can be taken:
Like for Like Replacement:
SIP Trunking can act as a like for like replacement for ISDN. When you have an onsite phone system- you can connect SIP to the system rather than the current ISDN Phone lines. If you are considering this, you will need to consider the compatibility in the current system. Also, the availability of a compatible broadband service. Why is this? SIP Trunking will use the internet to make and receive calls. Therefore, you would have to make sure the bandwidth/stability of the line is compatible.
Hosted Phone System:
In simple terms, a hosted telephone system sits in a network data center, known as the cloud, who knew, there isn’t a real cloud? This removes the phone system infrastructure from your office. A Hosted Phone System is easily managed via a secure, web-based portal therefore you can make changes and additions remotely as you see fit. Alongside this, staff will be able to make and receive calls using a combination of handsets from Analogue, DECT, or IP and in addition to the physical handset, most Hosted Systems have an App. This can be used via your PC or Mobile device meaning you can truly work from anywhere. Just like SIP, users make calls through their data connection rather than a physical line, so, the same considerations need to be made around connectivity.
Direct Routing:
Albeit a relatively new solution, direct routing is built on our trusted SIP network, rather than the SIP connecting to a phone system. It involves connecting to an application, the most common of which is Microsoft Teams. Adding the Telephone License to Teams might be a logical next step for some of its 75 million daily users as their users are already using the app daily. We recently carried out a migration for SCVO, to move their on-premise environment to Direct Routing. You can have a read about their experiences on their case study.
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