With Australian ISDN drawing to a close, why should companies look to SIP as the best strategy for implementing business voice?
It might seem a long way off, but the eventual shut down of the Australian ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) will be here sooner than you think. By 2022 Telstra will discontinue supporting its ISDN products due to the supporting technologies and platforms nearing the end of their lifetime.
As the NBN continues to roll out across the country, what should businesses be doing in preparation for the switch?
What services will be switched off?
ISDN is a digital network technology that carries voice and data services over the public switched telephone network.
Telstra will cease the sale of ISDN2, ISDN2 Enhanced, ISDN10/20/30, DDS Fastway, Megalink and Frame Relay products by 30th June 2018, with a final disconnection date expected by 2022 which is when the products will no longer exist.
- 31st January 2018 – New ISDN service unavailable for customers who do not already have ISDN in place.
- 30th June 2018 – Full cease sale on new or additional ISDN services for all customers. No new services will be available.
June 201930th September 2019 – Disconnection will commence for existing ISDN connections (commencement date pushed back in February 2019)- By 2022 – All ISDN connections will be disconnected and full network will be decommissioned.
While businesses using these products can expect plenty of early warning leading up to the exit, the clock is definitely ticking for companies relying on ISDN to find an alternative solution.
Thankfully, a solution exists and it’s cheaper and more efficient
than ISDN. SIP, or Session Initiated Protocol is the future of business
voice.
How to make the move from ISDN to IP Voice
A SIP Trunk is the digital equivalent of a traditional phone line. A SIP Trunk needs to connect to a PBX – a device that provides the brains behind the phone system that enables multiple users to share lines. You will need to decide whether to host your PBX in the cloud or at your premises. Getting the assistance of a SIP provider will help simplify this process.
Here are some resources to help you get started
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| The ISDN Switch Off – 4 Things You Need To Do | The ISDN Shutdown Survival Guide |
| This quick read explains the four key things that your business should be doing to prepare for the ISDN switch off. | This in-depth guide explains everything you need to know about the ISDN shutdown and your replacement options. |
With the imminent cessation of ISDN, switching to sophisticated SIP technology should be a business priority.
At Over the Wire, our solutions unite voice, data and security through a single, end-to-end service provider. We can help organisations of any size achieve a higher level of productivity.
To find out more, reach out to a member of the Over the Wire team today.