PSTN networks worldwide will be deactivated in the Big Switch-Off 2027 - and while it may seem a long way off, several advantages come from moving to digital sooner rather than later.
With some countries having already transitioned to fully digital communication, it’s clear that the global shift away from PSTN networks is well underway. Germany, Singapore, Estonia, and the Netherlands are already leading the charge, and many others are hot on their heels – including Australia, Norway, Spain, Japan, and Portugal.
It’s clear that time is ticking for businesses everywhere to shift their communications to digital; and your business is, of course, no exception. But while it may be tempting to put it off for later, getting ahead of the curve will give you a significant edge over those who are still relying on analogue systems.
Discover the 7 advantages to getting ahead of The Big Switch Off below:
Let’s cover your first question: what will moving to digital mean for your cyber security?
Well, the good news is that digital communication networks – especially Cloud-based ones - are actually far more secure than analogue systems ever had the capacity to be. This is because they can be protected with multiple layers of encryption, firewalls, and other defensive methods – keeping you safe from fraud and giving you peace of mind that your private data will stay that way.
But what happens if your digital network provider experiences technical difficulties?
Unlike with PSTN, a sudden outage isn’t necessarily a problem for digital-based networks. In fact, depending on your provider, your operations likely won’t even be interrupted in the event of technical difficulties - since many hosted services can reroute their systems through multiple back-up data centres; keeping you active until issues are resolved.
Is moving over to digital cost-effective?
Cost-efficiency is actually a common reason for businesses investing in digital networks, for SME and large enterprise alike. This is because there isn’t any premises-based hardware to buy or maintain – your only operational expenditure is the service itself, and many providers will allow you to scale that service up or down depending on your specific needs.
Aren’t calls made over the Internet generally poor quality?
Years ago this might have been the case; but when it comes to call quality, digital-based systems are better and more sophisticated than ever. Furthermore, where demand for faster connection speed will continue to increase, PSTN will inevitably struggle to cope – whereas digital has near-limitless scope to improve and develop.
Will you have to give up your phone number when you switch over?
In short, not if you don't want to. In fact, through digital, you can link one number to multiple devices at once - enabling your people to be responsive to customers. This is because your hybrid workers can potentially be reached through any company device connected to the Internet, rather than being tethered to one device in a fixed location - allowing them to field customer questions from home, office, or on the go.
Does switching over create a lot of hassle?
On the contrary, the beauty of switching to a hosted digital service is that all the infrastructure is already set up, installed, and monitored by your provider. All the equipment you need is the network-compatible devices, and you’re ready to resume your operations as normal.
Is there any added utility to switching over to digital?
When it comes to giving you control over your network, the potential for digital is unparalleled. Whether you’re increasing customer convenience with Auto Attendant and Hunt Group features, enhancing security with Caller ID & Call Barging, or easing how your employees work with a Voicemail-to-Email feature, digital is always developing new tools for you to take advantage of.
As with any global shift, preparation is always beneficial for your business– and the sooner you have a switchover strategy in place, the better positioned you’ll be for the challenges of the future.
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