BT is deactivating the landline network in 2025, so if you haven’t made the switch to an internet-based calling solution already, you’ll have to before then. You may have seen the end of physical phone lines referred to as the ISDN switch-off.
But why wait till 2025 for better communications? Your telephone lines are part of an ageing network that is increasingly unreliable and can’t handle the demands of modern data-rich communications.
That’s why lots of third sector organisations are already switching to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP not only does everything your old landline does, it gives you a range of advanced features that make call handling, conferencing and collaboration easier.
So, switching to an all-IP VoIP solution isn’t just necessary, it can also make your organisation more effective. And as you know, that’s more important right now than ever.
Pandemic pressures? VoIP can help
It’s no secret that charities and not-for-profits are under a huge amount of pressure. For many charities, reduced public and private funding is coinciding with an increasing demand for services. You’re facing a perfect storm of reduced income and rising workloads.
At the same time, you may have spent the past 10 months scrambling to adapt to a digital future. Remote working staff are using Zoom or Teams to stay in touch and work together. Where possible, service provision has moved online. With face-to-face meetings out of the question, you’re having to find new ways to interact with corporate donors and grant making bodies.
In these circumstances, your traditional telephone system is proving itself unfit for purpose. What happens to calls directed to empty offices? Do your staff have the tools they need to be truly productive? Corporate and government contacts, wary of potential scams, may be suspicious of staff and volunteers making calls from domestic numbers.
At the same time, organisations that bolted a video app onto their broadband line may be experiencing stuttering, unsatisfactory video calls. And traditional ISDN lines simply can’t support the unified communication solutions that bring voice, video, chat, SMS and file sharing together in one seamless service.
Embrace the benefits of all-IP
By contrast, VoIP services can promote better communication and collaboration, and save you money at the same time. Put simply, the benefits of VoIP far outweigh the inconvenience of replacing ageing ISDN solutions.
For a start, a VoIP number follows your staff and volunteers wherever they go, so they can make professional calls from their kitchen table or the local coffee shop. Advanced call management features – like call forwarding – mean they never have to miss an important call.
With a cloud-based VoIP solution, you literally take the office home with you. You can access all the tools and features you rely on in the office anywhere, and from any device. All you need is an internet connection.
And if you’re new to VoIP, you’ll be surprised at just how many powerful tools you will have at your disposal. Get closer to your donors and volunteers with video calling or chat. Let your teams collaborate on calls with simultaneous file sharing. Expand your outreach to volunteers and service users with video conferencing and SMS.
In other words, VoIP is a fundamental part of your digital transformation. Efficient teamwork, fundraising, training and service provision are easier with the kind of powerful, multi-channel communications that start with VoIP.
The business case for VoIP
And none of this needs to cost you more money. In fact, it might be more cost effective than your current setup, especially if you have to add features like conferencing as an extra service.
VoIP calls generally cost less than traditional landline calls, and with Everything Voice, all our services are Pay As You Go, so they’re as flexible as you want them to be. Our per user per month payment models also mean you can budget easily and stay on top of costs, while never paying for capacity you don’t use.
With a cloud-based VoIP solution from Everything Voice, you stay in control. You may be furloughing staff at the moment, or reducing service provision. At the same time, you may be predicting a period of growth after the lockdowns end. With our VoIP services, you can add and remove users and permissions on demand, and adopt new features with the click of a mouse.
Taken together, there are huge benefits in switching your traditional ISDN network to a VoIP alternative. That will become imperative as we get closer to 2025, but there’s a solid business case for doing it much sooner. Internet-based communications can speed your digital transformation, help you navigate the rocky waters of Covid, and prepare you for a better post-pandemic future. It’s a good time to start thinking of making the switch.
To help you prepare for the ISDN switch off and better understand the complex world of telecoms, we’ve created a free, jargon-busting Tech and Telecoms Dictionary. Download it here.