BT Ireland’s Sarah Bradley talks us through the ins and outs of the copper switch-off and how Irish businesses can prepare.
As part of its plan to ensure that European digital infrastructure is up to date, the EU wants its member states to transition from traditional copper-based telephone and broadband networks to modern, all-IP (internet protocol) networks by 2030.
This transition will see the retirement of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), which Irish consumers and businesses have been using for nearly 100 years to make and receive landline calls and access the internet.
“From the outset, telecoms providers were private companies, and this is still largely the case across the world,” says Sarah Bradley, wholesale proposition manager at BT Ireland. “However, due to important worldwide regulations, the PSTN was created to be a public asset which guarantees equal access to all citizens and businesses. Today, the PSTN telephone network remains (by far) the most ubiquitous, with over 10bn connections worldwide.”
However, the PSTN network – which is both copper- and fibre-based – is too expensive and inflexible to deal with the needs of our modern, tech-centric world.
As a result, Ireland is following in the footsteps of countries such as England, Spain, Portugal and Estonia to implement what has been dubbed ‘the copper switch-off’, where PSTN and other copper-based switched access services such as POTS (plain old telephone service) and ISDN (integrated services digital network) are being retired.
“As we have become more reliant on the internet, our copper networks have become outdated,” explains Bradley. “They have become increasingly fragile and prone to failure. All-IP fibre networks are a modern alternative that can support the extra bandwidth needed by our society, such as streaming and supporting the internet of things.
“Our future public telephony networks will be digital and IP-based, with copper access cables being replaced by more reliable and energy-efficient fibre optics.”
The business side
With such a major infrastructural transition on its way, Bradley says that Irish businesses need to plan ahead to avoid disruptions.
“As the public telephone network in Ireland moves to IP and 5G, Irish businesses need to plan to ensure their business telephone numbers are available and dependable through that change,” she says. “When the copper PSTN is switched off for good, businesses who have not switched their phone solution over to the all-digital network will lose their service, risk business disruption and risk losing their business numbers.
“In practice, this means moving to an IP, also known as VOIP, voice-over-IP telephony solution.”
The copper switch-off doesn’t have a clear “big bang” date, as Bradley refers to it. Instead, the transition is happening gradually, with the approach of progressively withdrawing traditional analogue voice services region by region, as fibre coverage – implemented through initiatives such as the National Broadband Plan – passes key thresholds in areas.
When transitioning to an IP voice solution, Bradley says that it’s crucial for businesses to thoroughly assess their current and future needs.
“There are two primary options available: an on-premises IP-enabled phone system, which is physically located on the business premises, or an IP cloud solution,” she explains. “The latter allows for making and receiving voice calls via cloud platforms, such as Microsoft Teams.”
The concerns
But while the copper switch-off is on its way, worries remain over the transition to all-IP networks. According to Bradley, the number one concern for businesses is the reliability of IP voice solutions.
“As voice services become digital, delivered over fibre internet services, businesses become more dependent on their fibre internet connection. While this comes with many advantages, such as access to the next-generation voice services, it also comes with some disadvantages,” she says.
“Traditional analogue lines are powered by the exchange, which means you can use them even in a power outage. This is important when you want to keep your business running even in power outages or extreme events. Unfortunately, this feature is not available on VOIP services.”
She highlights the severity of recent storms in Ireland that have caused many businesses to suffer outages on their power lines and telecom services. “The copper switch-off doesn’t cause these issues of course, but it does impact our resilience to these severe weather events. The switch to fibre has not changed our dependence on overground poles that are vulnerable to falling trees.”
As well as this, Bradley says that restoring fibre optic access services can in some ways be more challenging than repairing traditional copper cabling.
Considering the fact that due to ongoing climate trends, more destructive storms are on the way, businesses should be thinking about their disaster recovery plans when choosing their new IP services, and where possible, choose a voice solution with powerful back-up features, according to Bradley.
Another issue that may arise for businesses is the time and resources that may be required for the migration to new phone systems. For example, staff will need to be trained on how to use the new tech, and upgrading handsets could necessitate proper investment.
As well as this, many businesses rely on old PSTN lines for critical operations such as alarm systems, payment devices, elevator safety features and other specialised cases.
“It’s essential for businesses to thoroughly understand how these systems currently operate to identify suitable alternatives when the PSTN is switched off,” says Bradley.
Roadblocks
Despite ongoing efforts, barriers may remain that restrict the migration needed before the copper switch-off.
Barriers such as the availability of fibre and the quality of current internet solutions, which can be especially prevalent in rural areas.
“For business premises not connected to fibre yet, bringing these services into a building for the first time can be challenging as the cable requires more careful handling and routing,” explains Bradley. “Where possible, businesses should aim to connect to at least one fibre provider, and ideally two for better resilience.
“Upgrading to dedicated internet access (DIA) is also recommended for better service levels. Service levels are extremely important when all critical business communications are dependent on a network connection and SLAs [service level agreements] should be top of mind when choosing a new IP product.”
But while barriers and concerns seem to be ever-present as the switch-off looms, Bradley thinks it’s important to remember the benefits of the transition, especially to Irish business customers.
“It provides an opportunity to future-proof their business telephony systems, while retaining their current business numbers. Many businesses won’t need to invest in new IP hardware, but switching to an IP-based solution will grant them access to advanced technological features and could reduce costs,” she says.
“The digital switch-over also provides businesses with an opportunity to better manage their connectivity infrastructure, allowing them to save money by consolidating systems, simplifying billing and reducing admin. It opens the door to tailored, future-ready solutions that can be integrated with existing systems and technologies.”
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
