ISDN technology will have disappeared from the market entirely by the end of 2022 at the latest. For many companies, migrating from ISDN to a SIP/VoIP connection is an unwelcome chore: it ties up resources, and the benefits are not always immediately obvious.
Here we set out some of the background to the migration and the advantages it brings. You will also get a sense of how we can support you through the switch.
Running ISDN alongside a data network means maintaining two connections in parallel, one of them built on outdated technology. The ISDN network is a cost burden for Telekom. Data networks have now advanced to the point where they can deliver every ISDN service at better quality over a single channel — usually referred to as NGN (Next Generation Network), which is based on the Internet Protocol.
The ISDN switch-off does not force you to scrap all of your ISDN hardware. Depending on your network provider, you can often take your ISDN phone system with you: SIP trunking frequently allows it to keep running as it is. Apart from buying in a few adapters, that makes for an almost cost-neutral solution.
It is worth thinking about the migration now rather than later, so you are not forced to act under time pressure and end up with technical solutions and tariffs that do not properly meet your requirements. Phone calls are still the main point of contact for most customers, and the technical implementation should satisfy both you and them completely.
- Take stock How is your phone system currently set up, and how many extensions need to be accounted for? Traditional fax machines, door entry and lift systems, and any other alarm or signalling equipment need to be included here too.
- Estimate realistically Assess the time and staffing effort early and realistically, and do not put the migration off.
- Bandwidth Your connection needs enough bandwidth to carry your daily data traffic plus the additional telephony load. Allow roughly 100 kbit/s per concurrent call as the minimum bandwidth required.
- Internal communication Inform everyone affected in good time about the changes to the phone system structure required by the ISDN switch-off.
The new SIP-based PBX connection technology is highly developed and offers considerable potential for efficient communication, fast data transfer and accelerated workflows. Do you have further questions about migrating your connection, or about the technical options for continuing to use your existing phone system on the new NGN technology? Then give us a call or drop us an email. We would be glad to talk it through and plan the upcoming migration together with you.
Services
- Provision, setup and operation of the SIP-based PBX trunk connection
- Online system manager provided
- Regular system maintenance and connection monitoring
- 24h support hotline
- Electronic invoicing
Benefits
- Very competitive business tariffs, including business flat-rate options
- Savings of up to 50% compared with ISDN
- Straightforward replacement for ISDN and analogue PBX connections
- Certified solution for all common PBX systems
- Maximum availability, secure connection
- Broadband, flexibly scalable voice channels
- Can also be used as a parallel or back-up solution