The Great British Switch Off: Are you ready for the change?

We’ve already covered some of the key dates around the Great British Switch Off. By late 2023 you’ll no longer be able to buy old copper-based services, and by the end of 2025 they’ll be switched off altogether.

But that’s not the whole story.

Because the ending of sales in 2023 won’t just happen overnight. In fact, it’s a process that has already begun.

Around 220 exchanges in the UK have already been earmarked for stop sell of copper services by January 2022 and the first, Salisbury, actually commenced last December.

So while we’ll reiterate our previous advice that this isn’t a time for panic, it does show that you need to start thinking beyond your existing connectivity and communications sooner rather than later.

After all, you’re probably okay now, but what happens when your current contract’s up? Do you want to be renewing a legacy system knowing that it won’t be supported for much longer? And if you’re planning on adding additional copper services in the future, what if the exchange you’re connecting through is no longer able to provide them?

Time to take stock

We think that now is an ideal time to conduct an audit of your connectivity and communications setup, before things become urgent.

When looking at your connectivity, consider the connections you have now and what you think you’ll need going forward. Is your current setup sufficient to take you through the next couple of years or do you think you’ll need to invest in something faster or more reliable in the short to medium term? If you think you’ll need to make changes now or in the very near future, consider whether it would be prudent to invest in what will very soon be legacy technology.

The same goes for your communications. If those traditional phone lines or ISDN connections are all you need – and all you’re likely to need – then you might not need to do much now. But if you’re anticipating any changes – like adding new locations or increasing your number of users – think carefully about alternative solutions like CloudComms. There’s the possibility that, should you need to make changes at a later date you’ll simply be unable to if your local exchange has already made the switch.

Finally, if you’re not tied into long-term contracts it may be worth adopting future proof technology sooner rather than later. It’s something you’ll need to do in two or three years anyway.

Or if you’d like to listen to an informal introduction to the switch off, and what it represents, check out our podcast.