Avoiding PSTN switchover headaches

In the previous blogs we discovered how the French and Germans tackled their own PSTN switchover. Both European neighbours are tackling the issue with characteristic élan and efficiency. 

However unforeseen challenges arose in both countries and so with the age old military principle of ‘pre warned is pre armed’ we highlight potential challenges that may be coming with the PSTN switchover and highlight potential fixes.

For fax sake, haven’t we moved on since 1991?

According to the website Gizmodo the heyday of fax machines was close on 30 years ago. Still if you’re a showbiz agent in Hollywood or a company in Japan, faxes are still popular way of sending and receiving information. 

Most fax machines are still landfill fodder so the chances of using one is pretty slim. In Germany practically ignored faxes. Resulting in major headaches for businesses and the German regulator BNetzA.

So what’s the solution?

Lets pose a scenario. A Japanese based supplier wants to send a fax. What do you do?  Barring a sudden trip to an antique emporium, you’re going to face a communications headache.

As a business you can have your faxes sent to your email in box using a supplier like Northway. That way you there’s no disruption from your suppliers end and, more importantly, no disruption at your end. 

The whole PSTN switchover can be carried out within a normal working day. All that’s need is a telephone number – for your supplier to send the fax and an email account to receive the fax. The fax is integrated into your system using an industry standard Electronic Reserved Process or ERP.

Businesses can even transfer their existing fax number, which in IT-speak is called ‘porting’ a number – so no need to go changing the company stationary.

Another problem the Germans overlooked when they migrated to all-IP was supporting personal alarm systems used by vulnerable adults or live alone pensioners.

Hilfe Grandmutter?

The PSTN system of connecting a personal alarm for grandmother living alone worked pretty well. The connection was reliable and uninterrupted. When the Germans moved over to all-IP they found frequent service interruptions, and inevitably, there were cases where grandmutter was calling for help and nobody knew.

Well there is a cost-effective system that can be offered that ensures continuity of service

By establishing a handset in the house which, which instead of being exclusively connected to the PSTN system, carries an additional SIM card. This allows granny to have reassuring familiar piece of technology on the sideboard, that unlike a mobile phone never needs charging and ensures a diverse supply of the internet, or has techies like us like to call it, ‘Diverse Internet Continuity’. 

Additionally the install hardware comes in at a lot cheaper than the hardware provided by the personal security providers.

If you want to know how to de risk the coming PSTN switchover feel free to drop ServiceteamIT a line. Or call in and we can put on the kettle for a decent brew.