Business Enterprise Partners

Why is now the time for a leased line?

Zen Jan 17 2024 3 minutes

The UK is undergoing a major change in its telecoms infrastructure, as the old analogue phone network (PSTN) is being phased out – to be switched off completely in 2025. This means that all landline services, such as voice, broadband, and a host of other non-voice services, will need to migrate to new internet protocol (IP) based digital services. This change will affect every single one of us, and in many cases will require existing connectivity solutions to be upgraded.

But instead of looking at this change as a challenge, businesses should view it as an opportunity. An opportunity to switch to a better, faster, and more reliable internet connection. And in many cases, that better connection will come in the form of a leased line. A leased line offers businesses symmetrical bandwidth, guaranteed availability, scalability, and improved quality of service. It is, for many, the perfect choice when high quality, reliable, dependable, future-proof connectivity is required.

What is the PSTN switch off?

PSTN stands for Public Switched Telephone Network. It is the old analogue network that has been used to provide landline services for decades. PSTN uses copper wires to transmit voice and data signals, and it is – or at least was – the backbone of the UK’s phone network.

But the PSTN is quickly becoming obsolete, unable to cope with the increasing demand for faster and more reliable internet access. The PSTN has also become difficult and costly to maintain, as its obsolescence begins to take effect.

That’s why the decision has been taken to retire the PSTN by the end of 2025 and replace it with new IP-based services which will use broadband connections to transmit both voice and data signals over the internet and promise better quality and performance.

What does the PSTN switch off mean for businesses?

The PSTN switch off will affect all businesses that use landline services. That includes voice and broadband, but also other services like alarms, EPOS machines, door entry systems, CCTV, and even good old fax machines. These services will no longer work on the old analogue network and will have to migrate to new digital IP-based services.

So here’s the opportunity: many businesses will need to make upgrades to their broadband connections, and that’s where leased lines come in.

How can leased lines prepare businesses for the future?

Whether you’re a business looking to upgrade your own connectivity, or a Zen Partner looking for opportunities to upgrade the connections of your customers, making the move from traditional broadband to a leased line presents numerous advantages:

A rock-solid platform: Leased lines provide an ideal platform for the latest cloud and communications technologies, enabling businesses to take the best advantage of IP-based services such as Digital Voice, CloudComms, and myriad cloud-based applications and services.
Modern working: Modern businesses have different expectations of their connectivity than they did even five years ago. Leased lines support modern working practices like remote working, flexible working, and collaboration. They enable businesses to connect their employees across different locations and devices, using high quality voice and video, file sharing, and cloud applications.
Digital transformation: Leased lines enable businesses to embrace new and modified business processes, products and customer experiences. They allow businesses to improve their efficiency, productivity, and innovation, using cloud-based applications like CRM, ERP and data analysis. And they provide a perfect platform for modern business models such as e-commerce and customer engagement.