7 things to consider when upgrading your analogue telephony
Act now to avoid disruption and unlock new opportunities
1. Review and consolidate your digital tools
If you use Microsoft Teams, Zoom, 8x8 or other online meeting or chat platforms, you’ll already know your way around the digital comms technology.
So now it’s time to review and consolidate what you’ve got, otherwise you end up with multiple tools doing the same thing.
With a clear view of your existing tools, you can streamline the technology you have and make collaboration amongst teams and customers so much simpler.
Evaluate what you have and what you’re using it for, identify the objectives and what you’re trying to achieve. This will help you find the right partner who can help you get where you want to be, with a fit-for-purpose solution that is future-proof.
2. Find a future-proof alternative to telephone lines
From data signalling to terminals and monitoring, phone lines carry a wide range of functions that are essential to an organisation.
Now is the time to review those old analogue lines, and to pinpoint an integrated solution that will work across every requirement your organisation has, today and tomorrow.
This isn’t just about picking a platform for making phone calls, it’s about how can you pick a platform for everything else.
3. Digitise as much as you can
Alarm systems, lift lines, even whole remote offices may all still rely on the old analogue networks, so it’s vital to get every part of the organisation moving towards the end date together, to avoid any glitches along the way.
To ensure a smooth transition, through our experience, it’s vital to work with your facilities managers and suppliers too, by letting them know that change is coming.
This way you can then start to work together on the journey towards the future, shaping a new system that can apply across the board.
"The hardest thing was persuading facilities people to get off analogue and onto digital."
Connectivity, communications and security are the three things to focus on.
4. Factor in resilience and security
When it comes to resilience, you really can count on digital technology.
Ofcom has implemented guidance to ensure that any new technology that carries voice is resilient so that it’s as reliable as the technology that we’re all used to.
The key to ensuring security and reliance, is to look at the full picture of the infrastructure underneath everything as well as the solutions that sit on top.
5. Don't wait until the last minute
Changes are already happening now with some telecommunications providers already starting to switch off analogue technology and going fully digital.
Now is the ideal time to start looking at your legacy systems so you can begin to spot any vulnerabilities and put plans in place.
By switching to a Voice over IP system, you can unleash the benefits of digital across your organisation that puts hybrid and dynamic working, video calling, instant messaging and more at everyone’s fingertips.
"There will always be unknown unknowns, (things we’re not aware of not understanding) and they will become very obvious as soon as the switch happens."
"Imagine if a key supplier doesn’t make the switch. If you can’t communicate with them, you can’t do business with them. It’s as simple as that."
6. Spread the word
Start sharing the news with your suppliers and partners, if they use phone lines to interact with your organisation, they need to be aware of — and be acting to prepare for — the change.
You also need to ensure that your key suppliers of equipment to your organisation (e.g. EPOS) are aware of and ready for your (and the industry’s) change, and that any end-user equipment is compatible.
In a perfect world, every single one of your suppliers, clients and customers will all be switched over in the near future, so it can be business as usual.
7. Find the right partner
It makes sense to choose a partner who is already a pro. The partner you choose should also be able to help you plan and execute the change. You need to find someone who can support you on any stage of the journey, from implementing a solution through to offering strategic support to help you carve out a path ahead.
Virgin Media O2 Business has the expertise and technology to help you manage the change from analogue to IP with confidence.
We will work collaboratively with you to help you succeed, moving at your own pace and scaling up or down as you go. Together, we can ensure that you don’t just prepare for the switch but turn the change to your advantage.
Want to know more about the opportunities the big switch-off presents?
Learn more about making the most of the change and the support we can offer you.
Ready to make the switch?
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