Scheduled Phone Downtime: DB Comms Customers
We wanted to inform you of an important update regarding our phones. Tomorrow, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., we will be undergoing a necessary upgrade to improve our phone system.
During this period, our phone lines will be temporarily unavailable, meaning you won't be able to reach us via phone. We understand the importance of accessibility and want to assure you that we are taking measures to minimise any inconvenience.
While we anticipate that the upgrade process will be smooth and efficient, there may be some delays in our ability to respond to calls immediately after 12:00 p.m.
In the meantime, if you require assistance during the upgrade window, please feel free to reach out to us via email.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to enhance our services. Thank you for your continued support and patience.
What is the biggest challenge for people switching to digital telephony?
1. Introduction to IP telephony and the need to switch
IP telephony, also known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), uses the internet to transmit voice calls. The technology has several benefits when compared to Analogue and ISDN lines:
- Cost-effectiveness: IP telephony solutions often prove more economical, as they eliminate the need for costly physical infrastructure and maintenance.
- Flexibility and scalability: IP telephony seamlessly integrates with existing IT infrastructure, enabling ` organisations to scale their communication systems as their needs evolve.
- Enhanced features: IP telephony offers a range of advanced features, such as video conferencing, call recording, and unified communications to streamline business operations.
2. Challenges facing those switching to IP telephony.
With the 2025 Switch Off looming, besides necessity, there are compelling advantages for migration to IP telephony, but that does not mean it will be plain sailing.
- Initial setup costs: Implementing IP telephony may require an initial investment in hardware and software. For instance, you may need to invest in cabling, switches or upgraded WiFi to better make use of softphones.
- Network reliability: Ensuring reliable internet connectivity is crucial for uninterrupted IP telephony services., However, more than 95% of the UK have access to a SoGEA or an FTTP for broadband, which will be fine for most organisations.
- Keeping your number: Number porting has always caused great concern for businesses as the number is key to keeping in touch with customers. that’s why we offer Simple Swap, meaning we can activate your new SoGEA / FTTP and move your number to an IP solution all on the same day
3. How to switch to IP telephony
Any successful migration needs a little bit of planning, here are some key considerations:
- Assess current needs: You may have a simple solution at the moment, but try to move past what you have now, and think about what would improve your business.
- Advanced Call Routing
- Remote Working
- Call Recording
- Audio Branding
- Choose a provider: Work with a company you can trust, someone who can demonstrate a proven track record and have the infrastructure to support your growing business.
- Plan and design: Work with your provider to agree a plan and timescales that match with your goals for the deployment, taking into consideration device types, application access, calling plans, hunt groups and system schedules. Make sure you have a clear definition of who is doing what, especially if you have different suppliers and contractors involved.
- Equipment procurement: Ensure you properly scope the hardware and software required such as IP phones, routers, call management software etc before deployment. This should all be tested ahead of the switch over date.
- Installation and configuration: Make sure everyone is aware of the plan and staff all know what challenges they might face, including downtime This will ensure that there are no surprises and plans can be made accordingly.
- User training and support: Ensure you enjoy the benefits of your new system, by training your staff properly. Having the documentation available for new starts and existing staff to refer back to is a good idea too.
- Testing and go-live: Conduct thorough testing to ensure everything in your system functions optimally before transitioning to live operations.
4. Benefits of switching to IP Telephony
Organisations that embrace IP telephony can reap a multitude of benefits:
- Reduced communication costs: IP telephony often leads to significant savings on communication expenses, as it eliminates line rental charges and call fees, since most packages have inclusive calling.
- Enhanced productivity: IP telephony's advanced features, such as call forwarding, call conferencing, and voicemail to email, can boost employee productivity and efficiency.
- Improved customer service: IP telephony's integration with CRM systems enables businesses to provide personalised and responsive customer service.
- Increased mobility: IP telephony empowers employees to work from anywhere with an internet connection, fostering flexibility and collaboration.
- Future-proof communication infrastructure: IP telephony lays the foundation for future advancements in communication technologies, ensuring businesses remain ahead of the curve.
5. Conclusion
The transition to IP telephony is an essential move and one that will benefit organisations seeking to streamline their communication infrastructure and leverage the power of digital technologies. By carefully considering the challenges and implementing a well-defined migration plan, businesses can effectively embrace IP telephony and pave the way for a new era of seamless communication and enhanced business operations.
Scottish Charities: The Stop Sell Phase of the PSTN Switch Off and What It Means for You
The stop sell phase of the PSTN switch off commenced on September 5, 2023. This means that all providers in the UK have ceased offering traditional phone lines, including ISDN. This also applies to legacy broadband services that utilise the copper line, such as ADSL and FTTC broadband. Additionally, you cannot make changes it any existing analogue telephony – like adding an extra line as an example.
This is a significant milestone in the PSTN switch off process, and it is important for Scottish charities to start planning their migration to a new technology as soon as possible.
Here are some things that Scottish charities need to know about the stop sell phase:
-
-
- No new PSTN or ISDN services can be purchased. If you need new phone lines or broadband, you will need to choose a digital alternative, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
- You can still keep your existing PSTN services until December 2025. However, it is important to start planning your migration now to avoid any disruptions.
- There are a number of different digital telephony solutions available. It is important to research your options and choose the best solution for your charity's needs.
Here are some tips for Scottish charities on how to prepare for the stop sell phase:
- Assess your current telephony needs. What features are important to you? How many phone lines do you need? What is your budget?
- Research different digital telephony solutions, it maybe a adding a SIP Gateway to an existing system, migrating to a cloud-based system or integration with Microsoft Teams
- Work with a trusted supplier such as DB Comms. We have a long-standing relationship with SCVO as a partner and a supplier – believe we can help you choose the best solution for your charity's needs.
- Make a plan - develop a plan for transitioning your charity to new telephony system. This will help to ensure a smooth and seamless transition
The PSTN switch off is a major change, but it is an opportunity for Scottish charities to upgrade to a more modern and reliable telephony solution. By planning ahead and choosing the right solution, charities can ensure that they continue to communicate effectively with their donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries.
Jargon busting
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network
VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol
Smooth Transition to the ISDN 2025 Switch-off: A Guide for Businesses
The ISDN switch-off is a major event that will impact organisations of all sizes in the UK. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of this transition and provide tips on how you can prepare.
- 2018: BT makes formal notification to stop selling and withdraw ISDN.
- 2020: Five-year reminder that ISDN and PSTN will be withdrawn.
- 2023: Stop sell of new ISDN and PSTN services begins.
- 2025:
- April: Forced migration to SIP/cloud telephony begins.
- December: ISDN and PSTN services are withdrawn.
We have just entered the stop sell phase of the ISDN switch-off. What does this entail?
It means that organisations can no longer purchase new ISDN lines or renew existing contracts. This is a significant milestone in the ISDN switch-off process, and it is important that organisations start planning their migration to a new technology as soon as possible.
Key Points During the Stop Sell Phase:
- No new orders for any analogue line/ISDN lines or standard broadband.
- No changes to any existing services.
- Organisations should start planning their migration to a new technology
What does the ISDN switch off mean for my organisation?
- ISDN and PSTN are being phased out. BT has announced that it will stop providing these services in 2025. This means that organisations that are still using ISDN or PSTN will need to switch to a new technology before that time.
- Change can be a good thing... These are legacy technologies that is not as reliable as modern alternatives, such as VoIP,. which is a more robust and scalable technology that can provide better call quality and reliability.
- Because they are an aging technology, the costs are increasing, while the cost of VoIP is decreasing. This means that organisations can save money by making the switch.
- The ISDN switch-off will impact organisations of all sizes as it also affects Analogue Phonelines, which, in turn, can the affect the broadband that you use also. No organisation is too small to be affected by this major event.
How can you prepare your business for the ISDN switch-off?
- Start planning as early as possible to minimise disruption. The ISDN switch-off is a major event that will take time to plan for. Organisations should start planning as early as possible to minimise any disruption.
- Evaluate your current telecommunications needs. Before you can choose a new technology, you need to evaluate your current telecommunications needs. This includes understanding your call volume, features, and budget.
- Choose a new technology. There are several different technologies to switch to, such as VoIP, SIP trunking, and hosted PBX. The best technology will depend on your organisation’s specific needs.
- Migrate your data. If you are switching to a new technology, you will need to migrate your data. This includes your phone numbers, contacts, and voicemail recordings.
- Test your new system. Once you have migrated your data, you need to test your new system to make sure it is working properly.
How can DB Comms support with the ISDN 2025 Switch-off?
DB Comms is a leading provider of business telecommunications solutions for businesses. We can help you prepare for the ISDN switch-off by:
- Providing expert advice on the ISDN switch-off
- Evaluating your telecommunications needs
- Choosing the right technology for your organisation
- Migrating your data
- Testing your new system
We understand that running your organisation is your top priority, so let us take care of the ISDN switch-off for you. We'll handle everything from planning to implementation, so you can focus on what you do best.
Time is key
The ISDN switch-off is a big change, but it doesn't have to be a headache. DB Comms can help you make the transition to VoIP with ease. We'll take care of everything from planning to implementation, so you can focus on what you do best.
Don't leave your organisation's future to chance. Contact DB Comms today for a personalised consultation and find out how we can help you prepare for the ISDN switch-off. Your smooth transition begins here.
Jargon busting
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network
VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol
The Client
Since their beginnings in 1891 when the very first piece of knitwear came off the knitting frames at the Lanark site, Glenmuir has committed itself to create golfwear with impeccable care, skill and dedication to the craft.
Requirement
In a strive to deliver best in class user experience for its customers and staff alike, Glenmuir were keen to review its ageing telephony and connectivity environment. From a telephony point of view, it was disjointed at best with various providers involved, in addition, their system was end of life and was using legacy ISDN technology. As well as the system being end of life there where crucial limitations in terms of disaster recovery and mobile/remote working options.
What DB Comms did
In terms of connectivity Glenmuir where and are no different to most modern businesses they have a growing dependency on Cloud technology, with email, CRM and many other business-critical applications requiring a fast, reliable internet connection. Historically the business multiple FTTC connections, stitched together all serving different purposes, which served its purpose at the time but failed to deliver dedicated bandwidth, quality of service, ease of failover, or simplicity of service. The business always appreciated the benefits of having a dedicated Ethernet service but had always conceived the set-up costs to be prohibitive.
Outcome for Client
To underpin this new solution Glenmuir took advantage of the Government Gigabit Voucher Scheme (GBVS) , this is a publicly funded pot of £67 million, this can be utilised by businesses in the UK to help them connect to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), in this scenario, Glenmuir opted for 100/1000 Mbps solution, which would provide them ample bandwidth for their current requirements, whilst providing scalability to meet the future demands of the network.
As part of The project we have deployed our “Cloud Voice Complete” solution, in doing this we offered an easy to administer, flexible and feature-rich system, we eliminated all UK Call spend by providing free local, national and mobile calls. As the system is licensed on a per-user basis, we created a flexible pricing structure to accommodate future growth. By providing a fully managed and inclusive service we have removed the burden of expensive maintenance and engineer call outs.
"DB Comms has been one of our trusted technology advisors for several years, they’ve always gone the extra mile to understand our business and offer solutions that fit our requirements. As a result, myself and my fellow Directors would have no hesitation in recommending DB Comms to any other company looking to review and upgrade their current technology solutions."
Fiona Barclay
Finance Director
The Client
Get Digital is set up to help increase the digital capabilities of service users and staff within the homelessness sector. They do this by providing training, support and resources. They want people affected by or working in homelessness to experience an improved quality of life by benefiting from the digital world.
Requirement
The outbreak of the Coronavirus has led to a greater reliance on digital for many of our daily activities: from socializing with friends, managing finances or finding reliable information on health,
the latest news and updates from the government.
Digital has never been so critical to our lives. Social distancing and self-isolation has reduced our ability to communicate face to face. There are many ready-made digital communication tools to help us stay in touch. Email, messaging, and/or video tools are essential in the current climate to reduce social isolation and for people to access support. These tools are vital to help us to connect with the people and organisations in our lives.
What DB Comms did
DB Comms are the first provider of the necessary technology & equipment needed to support this campaign. To help promote digital inclusion, DB Comms has provided handsets and ensured that mobile broadband is accessible within temporary accommodation for those experiencing housing issues during this difficult time.
Outcome for Client
How will this help the project users…
- Reducing isolation and maintaining face-to-face contact during social distancing
- Ability to stay in touch with friends, family & support worker through instant messaging apps
- Up-to-date information about Covid-19 advice and access to NHS website
- Find updates on the latest news that are reliable and up-to-date from sources as BBC news and the government websites
- Providing contact with homelessness providers, social services, banks, landlord and emergency support
“DB Comms have been extremely helpful, responsive and supportive of this project. They have enabled
us to quickly deliver digital access to the people we support. This will change lives.”
Jamie Trout, Digital Inclusion Programme Manager