SWITCH-OFF 15 www.managedITmag.co.uk The cost factor Jamie Snaddon, EMEA MD, 8x8 “A lot of organisations will be delighted at the news of the PSTN delay. The reality is that time wasn’t the main factor here: it was cost. A lot of UK businesses are struggling in the current economic climate and having to find funding for a major digital transformation project like this was something that many didn’t have the capacity to deal with. Economic forecasts suggest that the UK will be in a slightly better place by 2026, which is when the revised switch-off date will need to be budgeted for – if, of course, BT stick to the 2027 deadline – and that may give companies a chance to budget appropriately instead of rushing into a solution.” ····· Take action now Dom Norton, Director, Spitfire “Our message to customers is unchanged. Although this revised date buys more time, the huge task to move to an all-IP future-proofed service remains. Customers should aim to take action now, as the announcement only provides a oneyear extension and we are still likely to experience resource bottlenecks as the months go by. Prices are likely to continue to increase for the old network services (analogue, ISDN and broadband), adding to the decent cost savings already available on all-IP voice and fibre broadband alternatives, not to mention other benefits including more flexible working.” ····· Valuable breathing space Dale Parkinson, Managing Director – Connectivity, Giacom “BT Group’s decision to extend the migration deadline to January 2027 should not be viewed as an opportunity to stand down, but as an opportunity to take action. This extension provides the industry with valuable breathing space to address challenges and ensure a smooth migration to replacement services for all users and use cases.” ····· A double-edge sword Andy Fung, Solutions Architect, Espria “The extension of the digital switch-off deadline to January 2027 provides a welcome reprieve for businesses that haven’t yet completed the move and could allow them to avoid potential disruptions caused by a backlog of users rushing to migrate by the 2025 deadline. However, this delay is a double-edged sword, in that many businesses who have yet to make the move might question the urgency of revised timelines, potentially leading to more confusion. Clear communication, especially from providers, will be key.” ····· Exchange turn offs continue Paul Wakefield, Head of Product Management, Product Solutions, Gamma “Gamma’s messaging has consistently been that this is biggest opportunity the industry has seen in a generation. This is about the Digital Switch ON, and we have invested heavily to promote this as anyone who has seen Morph and/or our involvement as a National Champion in the Fit to Switch Campaign (www.fittoswitch. co.uk) can see. “We cautiously welcome the announcement on the basis that it will provide more time for industry engagement to overcome market apathy; more comprehensive penetration of the full fibre footprint to support digital delivery; and greater opportunity to implement solutions where digital is challenging – specifically critical care. “That said, it is important to note that exchanges will continue to be turned off and that the new 2027 date is simply an extension of the ‘end of the line’.” are already in mid-2024. The deferment gives an opportunity for those assets to be properly looked at and understood. “I would strongly encourage people to sit down with their supplier and have a conversation about auditing their estate, which may have been in situ for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years, to properly understand whether assets in the estate are needed or whether they’re redundant but still being paid for. It's not a cost-saving exercise. It's about reinvesting money being spent on unused assets and becoming a digital business. “This process will give businesses a proper foundation for their ICT plans and an opportunity to look at how they adopt new technologies to create efficiencies, improve productivity and, ultimately, boost profitability. “Gaining a deep understanding of where a business is today and where it wants to be tomorrow is so important because there is no one-size-fits-all or take-it-or-leaveit solution. IP may not be the right solution for everything. In some instances, a resilient multi-tiered IoT service that naturally switches between the strongest available mobile network might be the best option. “I use a very cliched analogy that if you take your kids shopping for a new pair of trainers, you're not going to buy the same pair that you bought two years ago because they will have grown and developed different interests. That’s no different to what we're doing here – the services a business procured in the past probably won’t satisfy their needs moving forward. “The key thing is for businesses to have a proper engagement with their provider around where they expect their business to be in 3, 5, 10 years’ time and how to futureproof their technology to enable them to achieve those goals.” Jamie Snaddon 8x8 Dom Norton Spitfire Dale Parkinson Giacom Andy Fung Espria Paul Wakefield Gamma
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