One of the first things a small business should do when choosing a phone system is to think about a phone line. The two go hand in hand. Your phone system cannot function without choosing how your phone calls will be transmitted and received.
A phone line needs to give your business:
Flexibility with your phone numbers– High quality calls – Business Continuity– No interference with your growth plans
Openreach Analogue Line and ISDN Switch Off
Openreach announced in 2015-16 that Analogue and ISDN Phone lines are to be phased out before they are switched off, permanently.
From September 2023 Analogue and ISDN phone lines will no longer be able to purchase, including any additional lines anywhere in the UK. Between April and December 2025, there will be a forced migration period for any numbers that are still on these outgoing technologies before they are switched off by December 2025.
This means you can still use ISDN phone lines until September 2023 but since it is outdated technology, it is best to look at alternatives, now to futureproof, especially if you have plans to grow.
What if I already have ISDN Phone Lines in Place?
The key thing is not to panic, you do have until 2023 to purchase any additional lines, so as long as you purchase any phone lines you may need by then, you’d be fine for another few years.
Regardless of when you choose to make a change, it is still a good idea to think about your options are and plan it in, now. The good news is that if you do that now, it is a planned expenditure and not a surprise.
Is it easy to migrate from ISDN to SIP?
With the right provider (us) – yes. You’ll be able to port and retain your numbers over to SIP or a Hosted Phone System. The whole migration generally can take as little as 3 weeks. Downtime is minimal whilst the numbers are migrated across.
Phone Line Options
Phone Line + has been designed to replace traditional analogue landlines, by using VoIP technology to deliver voice calls over an internet connection. This solution is perfect for tradespersons and small businesses.
SIP Phone Lines have been designed to replace traditional ISDN lines. They are connected and used via a phone system, they are highly scalable and more flexible compared to ISDN and you can easily add/remove lines whilst receiving high-quality calls and lower call costs. The total number of SIP channels in the UK today outweighs the number of ISDN channels.
About PhoneLine+
Phone Line + is an easy-to-use software-based solution which is updated and maintained remotely. As an Administrator of your PhoneLine+ account, you’d have complete control over users; easily adding/removing users, allocating your phone numbers and changing privacy settings such as including any numbers that you want to block.
With Phone Line +, you’ll be able to:
- Access from any Device
- Manage more than one number
- Use Key Features such as Voicemail, Call Divert, Call Hold, Contact Directory, Call Transfer, Call Forwarding and Number Withholding.
- Set an Out of Hours profile
- Store business essential phone numbers
- Receive email notifications of missed calls and voicemails
- Access Call Analytics
About SIP
SIP trunks can be deployed to an on-premise or cloud hosted solution phone system that will use virtual phone lines, created over your internet connection rather than physical wires to transmit voice calls.
SIP phone lines can be ordered with as little as 2 channels and can be scaled up (or down) in line with your business’s needs and without the need for physical lines to be installed (other than your broadband connection).
Benefits of SIP and SIP Trunking
Any business with a PBX can switch to our SIP trunking service and immediately benefit from more flexible, less expensive, and more resilient phone service.
Our top five benefits for upgrading your phone system to SIP:
- Save Money on call costs and line rental – IP connectivity costs less than ISDN so you’ll benefit from lower call costs; free internal calls between sites and free calls to UK local/national and mobiles. Typically, you are looking for saving of up to 50% on line rental and 25% or more on call costs.
- Flexibility with phone numbers – SIP trunking enables you to reduce the number of PBX’s you need to maintain whilst maintaining your existing phone number(s) regardless if you move office.
- Scalability – SIP Trunks are perfect if you are growing (or even downsizing) and you want to retain your phone numbers. You are always in control because you can add lines, remove lines and split calls at any time.
- High Quality – We can proactively monitor and manage the quality of service across the entire network – it’s the underlying network quality that makes a real difference to SIP trunking. This means that we are able to support both G.729 or G.711 codecs.
- Business Continuity – Should your office need to be temporarily relocated, SIP trunking allows you to take your phone lines with you quickly and cost-effectively.
Alternative Phone Line Solutions to ISDN, SIP and Phone Line+
To bypass the need for a phone line and still receive calls, we recommend a Hosted Phone System. It is cloud-based which means to use the phone system and receive calls, you need a reliable internet connection (IP technology.)
You are effectively you are renting a phone system rather than purchasing your own dedicated phone system.