Go Beyond 2025 in 7 Simple Steps

11 July 2023

Back in 2015, BT announced that it would switch off its PSTN and ISDN networks, by the end of 2025.

These networks aren’t used just for low-bandwidth internet connections, but for voice calls, too. This means businesses will have to switch to internet-based calling systems instead, or phone lines will simply fall silent by the start of 2026!

As the ISDN and PSTN networks are used for more than just voice services, there is also a knock-on effect across many CCTV cameras, lone worker alarms, and other internet-connected systems… Even Franking machines may require upgrading before the end of 2025 to ensure compatibility!

In short, between now and 2025, your business will have to make changes, moving away from traditional landlines and ISDN connections, to adopt more internet-based services.

Thankfully, our new sister company, Agility Comms, is ready and waiting to help our customers prepare for the coming ‘2025 Switch Off’!

Agility Comms will help direct your business on its journey to find new internet solutions that solve any existing issues and ensure your business is futureproofed. And here are the seven steps required:

1. Franking Machine Upgrade

Depending on how long you’ve been using your machine, it may not be Wi-Fi compatible, meaning it could be time for an upgrade! Thankfully, TMR has a wide range of modern, Wi-Fi-connected mailing solutions for future-proof mailing!

“Our new proposition ensures we can support Agility’s customers with the challenges beyond 2025, as well as the financial and operational benefits of modern, Mailmark-compliant franking systems.”
Mark Smith, Managing Director, The Mailing Room

Our partnership with Agility means we can help you through all the remaining steps in future-proofing your organisations, too!

Want to get one step ahead?
Give Agility a call today:

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2. Business Connectivity

The biggest technological influence of a business’s post-2025 growth will be the connectivity that acts as the foundation for all its future connected systems and technologies!

For example, retail companies will need a reliable connection to ensure all those card payments go through as quickly as possible. Offices will need the same for all their emails and calls. And most businesses – no matter their industry – will need a high-speed connection to ensure they can access all the information stored within the Cloud.

There are multiple future-proof connectivity technologies that will work well past 2025 – Full Fibre, Leased Lines and EAD being the most popular. But to make the right decision, many factors must be considered alongside the business’s future goals and product roadmaps.

Therefore, you need a partner that’s going to uncover every possible factor that needs to be considered, and ensure the right solution is deployed with minimal disruption to everyday operations.

Plus, trusting your connectivity to Agility means you’ll also take advantage of 24/7 monitoring so you’re getting every bit for your buck, and access to a dedicated engineering team to ensure everything is installed and maintained as expected.

No Supplier Ties!

Freedom to change from network-specific contracts to a network with zero restrictions.

Installation/maintenance

Support from a dedicated trained engineering team during transfer, setup and beyond.

24/7 monitoring

Proactive tracking and monitoring ensures the service is operating to its full capabilities.

3. Hosted Phone Systems

The second largest impact of the Switch Off will be on phone systems, as many organisations are still using these outdated ISDN and PSDN networks to facilitate calls.

Depending on your goals and challenges, Agility can recommend the right Unified Communications, SIP or Contact Centre solution for your needs.

Agility will also make sure all that information is hosted in the cloud, so that staff can access their office numbers just as easily from home, or when they’re on the go!

4. Business Mobiles

There’s a lot to consider when deciding on the right mobile solution for your business, including finding the right:

Handsets
Tariffs and minute-bundles
Data allowances
Specific carriers
multi-network solutions

Agility can also explore other cost-saving measures for business mobiles, such as pooled data allowances and BYOD policies, to help keep everything within budget! And being vendor-agnostic means you can be sure Agility Comms will only recommend the right solution for your business, not what’s best for its bottom line!

5. IT Support

Whether in the office or at home, you need to make sure colleagues can get quick fixes for any issues they face, which is why Agility’s 24/7 support lines are manned by qualified personnel, ready to triage, troubleshoot and provide fixes as fast as possible!

6. Cybersecurity

If one aspect of business operations has changed more than any other over the past two decades, it’s just how much business is now done online.

Now, just as you protect your physical business from thieves and vandals, you must also protect your business-critical data and network with robust security policies.

And if you’re not sure whether cybersecurity or IT support is worth the investment, check out what Agility’s Managing Director has to say on the subject:

“When considering whether your business should invest in some form of cybersecurity service, ask yourself, what amount of lost revenue would an hour, day, week or months’ worth of downtime cost your business?

Strong cybersecurity and immediate technical support – especially when combined with a secondary failover connection – are the greatest value tools at hand for businesses to limit the impact of downtime, no matter the underlying cause!”

Alan Riddoch, Managing Director of Agility Comms

7. The Switch Off

Once you’ve taken all those steps above, you should be ready to face whatever the future hold for your business. Though, it’s worth leaving some breathing room between this final step and the start of 2026…

The last thing you want for your business is a mad panic come the winter of 2025!

That’s why we recommend making all the changes sooner rather than later, so you’re not going to be one of the final businesses at the end of the queue, and you can already make the most of your new technology and capabilities before your competitors can.

At the end of 2025, the ‘landline’ network will go down and any calls made in 2026 will be internet-based, so we recommend contacting Agility now, or risk being left behind.