The rumours have been circulating for a while.
Those 'in the know' have been searching for concrete facts.
Those not 'in the know' have been searching for any answers they can find amidst the confusion.
But, events have overtaken us whether we know about them or not.
The cause of all those fingers hammering google for answers? For all the confusion, angst and woe?
The planned switch off the UK's 'traditional' phone system.
BT recently announced the deadline for the long-proposed switch from the old school copper and wires phone system, to a newer internet-based version. The deadline is 2025.
As you are reading our website, we can safely assume that you know something about VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).
This puts you in a very positive position, because VoIP is the protocol which will be used to deliver phone calls after the switch off.
If you don't know, VoIP allows voice traffic to be transmitted over the internet. All communications will effectively be delivered via your internet connection.
If you are using VoIP just now, then you will be familiar with this technology. It is the same technology which allows us to deliver business-grade, flexible telecoms solutions to our customers.
The switch to VoIP proposed by BT has a number of driving factors behind it.
Firstly, the old analogue technology and equipment behind-the-scenes is becoming increasingly out of date. Shifting from copper-wire ADSL to an FTTC 'fibre' connection is a good example of this. The old wiring just simply wasn't capable of servicing the demand placed on it by ISPs.
The second factor driving the change is consumer demand. Netflix, the Internet of Things, binging on Peaky Blinders box-sets. None of these would be possible without a high speed connection. It is now considered so essential, in fact, that it is to become enshrined in UK Regulation. By next year, all households will be required to have a connection capable of at least 10 Mbps (10 megabits per second). To achieve this, the underpinning infrastructure has to change.
The final factor motivating BT is to future-proof their systems and infrastructure. The old system was reaching the end of it's working life (some would say it reached it some time ago). The change to an IP-based system means the underpinning technology will be fit for purpose for the foreseeable future.
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(all details correct at time of writing)
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