Category: ISDN

The Big Switch Off: What the January 2027 Landline Shutdown Means for Your Business

Posted on by Jake Boase

What Is the Big Switch Off?

The Big Switch Off is the permanent shutdown of the UK’s analogue telephone network, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), on 31 January 2027.

The PSTN is the copper-wire network that has carried Britain’s phone calls for over a century. Every traditional landline, every fax machine, and every ISDN phone system runs across it. So do many things you might not expect: card payment terminals, fire and burglar alarms, lift emergency lines, CCTV systems and door entry panels.

When the PSTN goes, everything that depends on it stops working. Openreach has confirmed the deadline is fixed and will not move again. Any business still relying on analogue lines needs a migration plan, and with the deadline now under seven months away, that plan needs to happen soon. For the full step-by-step guide, see our PSTN and landline switch-off overview, or get a quote to start your migration.

When Is the Switch Off Happening?

The full PSTN shutdown completes on 31 January 2027, but for many businesses the practical deadline is earlier:

  • September 2023: Openreach stopped selling new analogue lines and ISDN nationwide (the “stop sell”)
  • May 2024: The original December 2025 deadline was extended to January 2027 to allow safe migration of vulnerable users
  • Throughout 2025-2026: Local exchanges are being migrated in phases, so some areas lose analogue service before the national deadline
  • 1 January 2026: Legacy line rental moved to 90-day rolling contracts
  • During 2026: Wholesale prices for legacy lines rise sharply in three stages (more on this below)
  • 31 January 2027: The PSTN is switched off permanently

Openreach has been clear the deadline cannot slip again. Their view is that the ageing copper network is now a bigger risk than the migration itself: major incidents on the PSTN rose 45% in a single year, and a single incident can knock out 500 or more lines at once.

Some communications providers set their own earlier cut-off dates, so don’t assume you have until January 2027. If your provider hasn’t contacted you about migration, that’s a red flag in itself.

Why Is the PSTN Being Switched Off?

The short answer: the network is over 100 years old and falling apart.

The copper PSTN was engineered for a world of rotary dial phones. The parts to maintain it are increasingly difficult to source, the engineers who know how to fix it are retiring, and the failure rate is climbing every year. According to Openreach, the analogue network is now obsolete, harder to maintain, and significantly more expensive to run.

Meanwhile, the replacement, digital voice services running over broadband, is cheaper to operate, more reliable, and far more capable. The UK is following the same path as most developed countries: the Netherlands, Estonia and others have already completed their analogue switch-offs.

This is part of a wider upgrade. Openreach is investing £15 billion in full fibre broadband, and retiring the copper network is a key part of moving the country onto modern digital infrastructure.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

This is the question that matters most, and the answer is blunt.

If you take no action before your line is migrated or switched off, your provider may default you onto a basic emergency-only fallback service. That means your number can reach 999, and nothing else. No inbound calls from customers. No outbound calls to suppliers. Your business number effectively goes dark.

Before that happens, you’ll be paying steadily more for a service with a confirmed shutdown date, because Openreach is deliberately raising legacy line prices to push the final migrations through.

And it’s not gradual. When your exchange is migrated, analogue service ends. Businesses that leave it until the final weeks risk joining a last-minute rush, with every provider’s installation calendar full, hardware in short supply, and no room for the porting process to run smoothly.

Roughly 2.8 million lines were still on the PSTN at the start of 2026, over half a million of them serving business premises. That’s a lot of businesses competing for engineer availability in the final months. Moving early isn’t just safer, it’s the only way to guarantee a smooth transition on your own timetable.

It’s Not Just Phones: What Else Is Affected

The most dangerous misconception about the Big Switch Off is that it only affects desk phones. In reality, decades of equipment has been quietly wired into analogue lines:

  • Card payment terminals – older PDQ machines that dial out over a phone line
  • Fire and intruder alarms – many alarm panels signal to monitoring centres via PSTN
  • Lift emergency lines – over 12,000 lift lines were still on copper at the start of 2026
  • CCTV systems – legacy setups using phone lines for remote monitoring
  • Door entry and gate systems – intercoms that dial a phone number
  • Fax machines – still common in some industries
  • Franking machines – older models connect via analogue line
  • ISDN phone systems – ISDN2 and ISDN30 run on the same copper network and die with it
  • ADSL and FTTC broadband – older broadband products delivered over the copper network are being withdrawn too

For sectors like construction, hospitality and property management, the alarm, lift and payment terminal issue is often bigger than the phones themselves. A hotel with an analogue fire alarm line or a property firm managing buildings with copper lift lines has a compliance and safety problem, not just a telecoms one.

The fix is an audit: walk through everything in your premises that plugs into a phone socket, and check with your suppliers whether each device has a digital-ready replacement or upgrade path.

Legacy Line Prices Are Rising Right Now

If the deadline alone isn’t persuasive, the pricing should be. Openreach has confirmed a tiered set of wholesale price increases on legacy line rental designed to make staying on copper uneconomic:

DateWholesale price increase
1 April 2026+20%
1 July 2026+40%
1 October 2026Further +40%

By this autumn, the cost of a legacy analogue line will have effectively doubled compared to the start of the year. In many cases it’s already cheaper to be on a modern digital service than to keep paying for the old line.

In other words: doing nothing isn’t the cheap option. It’s the expensive option with a hard stop at the end.

What Replaces Your Landline?

The replacement for analogue phone lines is VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol. Instead of your calls travelling down a dedicated copper wire, they travel over your broadband connection as data.

For a typical small business, a modern hosted VoIP system means:

  • Desk phones that plug into your network (or softphone apps on computers and mobiles)
  • A cloud phone system managed through a web portal instead of a box on the wall
  • Your existing numbers, ported across so nothing changes for your customers
  • Calls over broadband, ideally full fibre (FTTP) or SoGEA where fibre isn’t available yet

At ATS Connection we provide business VoIP built on the Xelion platform, a fully featured cloud phone system that handles call routing, voicemail-to-email, mobile apps, call recording and hunt groups as standard. It’s the same system we use ourselves, and we’ve migrated businesses across West Sussex from ageing analogue and ISDN setups onto it, including multi-site companies and businesses with complex call-handling needs.

If your broadband also runs on the old copper network (ADSL or FTTC), the switch is the right moment to upgrade connectivity at the same time. One project, one provider, everything future-proofed together.

The Benefits of Switching to VoIP

The Big Switch Off is forcing the move, but for most businesses VoIP is a genuine upgrade rather than a like-for-like swap:

Lower running costs. No line rental on copper pairs, cheaper call rates, and free calls between sites and colleagues. Most businesses save money compared to their old analogue or ISDN bills.

Work from anywhere. Your business number rings on your desk phone, your laptop and your mobile. Staff working from home or on site answer calls exactly as if they were in the office, a game-changer for trades, construction and field-based teams.

Scale up and down instantly. Adding a new user is a few clicks, not an engineer visit and a new line installation. Seasonal businesses can add lines for busy periods and remove them after.

Professional call handling. Auto-attendants (“press 1 for sales…”), hunt groups, call queues, out-of-hours routing and voicemail-to-email. Features that used to require an expensive on-premise phone system come as standard.

Business continuity. If your office loses power or internet, calls automatically divert to mobiles. With an analogue line, a fault means silence until an engineer arrives.

Call insights. See call volumes, missed calls and response times. Useful data you simply never had with analogue lines.

Will You Lose Your Phone Number?

No. This is the most common worry we hear, and it’s the easiest to put to rest.

Your existing numbers, including long-standing local numbers your customers have known for years, can be ported to your new VoIP service. The porting process is handled between providers and typically takes 10-15 working days. There’s no need to reprint stationery, update signage or change your website.

The key is to never cancel your old line before the port completes. Cancelling first can mean losing the number permanently. A competent provider will manage the sequencing for you so there’s no gap in service: your new system goes live, the number ports across, and only then does the old line get ceased.

How to Prepare: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Here’s the practical path from “still on analogue” to “sorted”:

1. Audit everything connected to a phone line. Phones, alarms, lifts, card machines, door entry, fax, CCTV. List every device and every line. This is the step most businesses skip, and it’s where the nasty surprises hide.

2. Check your broadband. VoIP needs a reliable internet connection. If you’re on ADSL or FTTC, plan the broadband upgrade alongside the phone migration. Check full fibre availability for your postcode.

3. Count your users and map your call flows. Who needs a handset? Who’s fine with an app? How should incoming calls route: reception first, then a hunt group? Out-of-hours to a mobile? This shapes the system design.

4. Choose your VoIP provider and system. Look for business-grade platforms, UK support, and a provider who handles number porting and installation end to end.

5. Deal with the non-phone equipment. Contact your alarm company, lift maintainer and payment provider about digital-ready upgrades. Most have well-established migration paths now, but lead times vary.

6. Schedule the migration. Ideally months before the deadline, not weeks. Number porting, hardware delivery and any broadband installation all have lead times that compound if left late.

7. Test everything, then cease the old lines. Only cancel legacy lines once numbers have ported and every dependent device is confirmed working on its new connection.

If that list feels like a lot, that’s what we’re here for. We run this entire process for clients as a single managed project, from audit through to the final line cease.

How Long Does Switching Take?

For a straightforward small business, a handful of users, decent broadband already in place, the switch can be completed in 2-4 weeks, most of which is waiting for number porting.

Add broadband upgrades, multiple sites, or dependent equipment like alarms and lift lines, and a realistic timeline is 1-3 months to do everything properly without disruption.

That’s exactly why the time to start is now, not December. Businesses that begin the process in the second half of 2026 will be competing with hundreds of thousands of others for engineer appointments, hardware and porting slots. Starting now means you choose the timetable; starting late means the timetable chooses you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Big Switch Off in the UK?

The Big Switch Off is the permanent retirement of the UK’s analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) on 31 January 2027. All traditional landlines, ISDN phone systems and services running over the copper phone network will stop working and must be replaced with digital (VoIP) alternatives.

When exactly will my landline stop working?

The national deadline is 31 January 2027, but exchanges are being migrated in phases and some providers have set earlier dates. Your line could be affected before the final deadline, so check with your provider now rather than assuming you have until 2027.

Will the PSTN switch off be delayed again?

No. The deadline was moved once, from December 2025 to January 2027, to protect vulnerable users during migration. Openreach has confirmed that work is complete and the January 2027 date is fixed.

Does the switch off affect broadband too?

Yes, partly. ADSL and FTTC broadband run over the same copper network and are being withdrawn alongside the PSTN. Full fibre (FTTP) and SoGEA connections are unaffected; they’re the replacements.

Can I keep my business phone number when I switch to VoIP?

Yes. Numbers are ported to your new VoIP provider, typically within 10-15 working days. Don’t cancel your old line until the port has completed, or you risk losing the number.

What happens to my card machine and alarm system?

Any device that connects via an analogue phone line, such as card terminals, fire and intruder alarms, lift lines and door entry systems, needs a digital upgrade before the switch off. Contact each supplier about their migration path, and do it early as lead times vary.

Is VoIP more expensive than a landline?

Usually the opposite. Most businesses pay less per user per month for VoIP than they did in line rental and call charges, and legacy line prices are rising steeply through 2026 anyway. VoIP also removes the cost of maintaining an on-premise phone system.

Do I need new phone handsets for VoIP?

Not necessarily. Modern VoIP systems work with dedicated IP desk phones, softphone apps on computers, and mobile apps. Some existing handsets can be reused with adapters, though for most businesses new IP handsets or apps are the cleaner option.

What if my internet goes down? Will I lose my phones?

Calls can automatically divert to mobiles or another site if your connection fails, which is more resilient than analogue ever was: a copper line fault meant no calls at all until an engineer fixed it. A well-designed VoIP setup includes failover from day one.

What should businesses in West Sussex do first?

Start with an audit of every line and every device connected to one. If you’d rather not do that yourself, we offer a free switch-off readiness check for businesses across West Sussex. We’ll identify what’s affected and map out the migration for you.

Get Switched Before the Deadline

The Big Switch Off isn’t a maybe. It’s a fixed deadline with rising costs for anyone who waits. The businesses that come out of it best are the ones treating it as an opportunity: modern phones, better call handling, lower bills and a system that works wherever your team does.

At ATS Connection we’ve been moving West Sussex businesses onto our Xelion-based VoIP platform ahead of the deadline, handling the audit, the number porting, the hardware and the broadband, all as one managed project. We help businesses across Chichester and West Sussex plan the move well ahead of the deadline.

Book your free Big Switch Off readiness check:

We offer:

Don’t wait for the last-minute rush. Get ahead of the deadline while there’s still time to do it properly.

Are Landlines Being Phased Out? What to Do Next

Posted on by Jake Boase

Yes. The UK’s traditional landline is being phased out. The old analogue phone network, known as the PSTN, is being switched off and replaced with digital calling that runs over the internet. If you still have a traditional home or business phone line, it will move to a digital service before the network is retired at the end of January 2027.

What is the UK landline switch off?

The UK landline switch off is the retirement of the old analogue phone network, and every home and business still on it will be moved to digital calling before the deadline. The regulator Ofcom has more on the change.

UK landline switch off affecting an office telephone

Here is what that actually means, why it is happening, and the simple steps to make sure your phone, and everything else that quietly relies on your line, keeps working.

Why are landlines being switched off?

The copper based analogue network has carried our calls for well over a century, but it is old, expensive to maintain and increasingly unreliable. Openreach is retiring it and moving everyone to digital voice, where calls travel over a broadband connection instead of copper wires. It is the same shift the mobile and internet worlds made years ago. For the full business detail, see our guide to the PSTN and landline switch-off.

When will my landline stop working?

  • 2023: new analogue phone lines stopped being sold.
  • Now: existing lines are being migrated to digital in a rolling regional programme.
  • End of January 2027: the analogue network is switched off completely.

The final deadline was extended from December 2025 to give people more time to migrate safely, particularly households with vulnerable users or equipment that depends on a phone line. The end result is the same, only the timeline moved.

What it means at home

For most homes the change is simple. Your calls move to digital voice, usually plugged into your broadband router, and in many cases you can keep your existing phone and number. If you have a personal alarm or a telecare pendant, tell your provider, as these need checking before the switch.

What it means for business

Businesses have more to think about, because it is not only desk phones that use a line. Alarms, door entry systems, lift phones, card machines and fax machines can all dial out over analogue lines and may stop working after the switch. The move is also an opportunity: modern VoIP phone systems are cheaper to run and far better for hybrid working than the old lines ever were.

What replaces the landline?

  • Digital voice, or VoIP: your calls run over the internet through a hosted phone system, keeping your numbers and adding features like mobile apps and call recording.
  • Modern broadband: SoGEA broadband and full fibre deliver internet without needing a traditional phone line at all. For homes, our home broadband options do the same.

What you should do now

  • Check what depends on your line, including alarms, lifts and card machines.
  • Plan your move to digital voice and confirm you can keep your number.
  • Make sure your broadband is up to the job, upgrading to SoGEA or full fibre if needed.
  • Do not wait for the deadline, as migrating early avoids any risk of being cut off.

How ATS Connection can help

We help homes and businesses across West Sussex move off the old network smoothly. We check what you have, recommend the right digital phone and broadband setup, port your numbers and manage the switch with no loss of service. Get a quote or call us on 01903 255 159.

Frequently asked questions

Are landlines really being phased out in the UK?

Yes. The analogue phone network is being retired and switched off by the end of January 2027, with all lines moving to digital voice delivered over broadband.

Will I lose my phone number?

No. Your existing number can be ported across to the digital service, so you keep it when you move.

Do I need the internet for a digital landline?

Yes. Digital voice runs over a broadband connection, which is why it is worth making sure your broadband is reliable before you switch.

What happens if I do nothing?

When the analogue network is switched off, any service still on it stops working. It is much safer to migrate ahead of the deadline.

Is digital voice more expensive?

Usually it is cheaper, because there is no separate line rental and calls are often included, plus you gain features a traditional line never had.

Everything your business needs to know about SoGEA

Posted on by Tobias Gillott

What is SoGEA broadband?

SoGEA stands for Single Order General Ethernet Access, a bit of a mouthful, probably best we stick to the abbreviation. This line utilises the existing copper phone line to connect the network, these phone lines can be found in almost every building in the country. However, instead of phone calls they are repurposed to transfer data.

SoGEA is an interim solution for areas that currently don’t have access to fibre connection. SoGEA is quicker and cheaper to install than Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) because it doesn’t require any new infrastructure.
Also due to it being a single order line issues can be identified and resolved quickly, another perk is the better service that you’ll receive. Without the phone line interfering traffic is gone meaning you receive better connection speeds.

What’s the difference between SoGEA and FTTC?

Fibre to the cabinet is currently the most common type of broadband connection. Utilising a blend of copper and fibre wires to deliver your property broadband. However, your top speed will always be determined by the slowest part of the wire.

The main difference is mainly within the infrastructure, currently a FTTC connection has a phone line with a fibre broadband connected over the top of it.

Openreach has launched SoGEA, this means no copper phone line is needed. SoGEA broadband just needs to be ordered with no line rental to worry about.

What’s the difference between SoGEA and FTTP?

Fibre to the Premises/Property is a fully fibre connection, from the supplier to the property it is complete fibre cable. Full fibre is becoming available to both residential and business properties but Openreach faces a challenge to supply all the properties with full fibre. SoGEA provides an interim for your property if fibre is not yet available.

FTTP has un-rivalled speeds, if FTTP is available it should be the first choice. Realistically FTTP is the fastest we will be able to go for a while unless we find a way to move something faster than light.

Both are easy to install, cost-effective, and easy to fix. FTTP is an ideal solution for businesses which rely on high internet speeds especially with the move over to VOIP systems.

Do you need to move to SoGEA?

You may know that Openreach are shutting down the ISDN and PSTN network in 2025, many businesses and households still use this connection despite the shutoff being right around the corner.
If Fibre isn’t available for you then you may need to consider moving to SoGEA sooner than later.

Need to move? We can do that for you. We offer super-fast SoGEA and full fibre broadband options.

Want to know what speeds you can reach?
Get in touch today for a quote same day.

View our SoGEA packages
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VoIP Is On Its Way: What Happens When Your Old Landline Stops Working

Posted on by Tobias Gillott

Landline phones have become so obsolete that even one of our director’s Jake Boase’s parents have given up theirs. While many of us increasingly rely on our phones for everything, the UK still has a fully functional landline network, and many people still have at least one phone connected into a socket in their home. 

There are 22 million conventional landlines in use in the UK, and they will face significant changes in the not-too-distant future. The network is transitioning to VoIP, and if you don’t have a suitable phone, you may find yourself in trouble.

When does the UK HAVE to move over to VoIP?

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is on the way, but you don’t have to jump on board just yet (even though we advise to!). However, in December 2025, there will be a technological shift, and traditional landline phones that use analogue technology will be phased out. 

The replacement will be a much better internet-based IP, or Internet Protocol, network, which will be much more future-proofed than the current system, which is based on the remnants of the UK’s antiquated copper wire network – though much of that has already been superseded by fibre optic cable, which VoIP takes advantage of.

Yealink T57W

Why is the UK moving to VoIP?

The improvement is, without a doubt, long needed. While you’ll be able to keep your landline if you want one, there will be plenty of VoIP-compatible landline phones to pick from which will make receiving calls significantly enhanced. The UK’s original telephone network is nearly a century old, and what we have now is a patchwork quilt of wiring that has been spruced up in some parts and completely replaced in others.

The phone and broadband firms have teamed up to devise a clever strategy that will see a completely revamped network launched in December 2025. The initiative is also monitored by the government and the telecoms regulator Ofcom. The good news is that you won’t have to do anything about the landline phone network update; your landline phone provider should take care of everything and notify you when it happens. 

While the network will change without you having to do anything, if your existing phone does not allow VoIP, you will need to purchase a new phone.

Keypad on phone

Will you be able to keep your number?

Although it’s impossible to say for sure, it appears like you’ll be able to keep your current landline number when the network switches to VoIP. If you’ve had the same phone number for a long time, this is great news. 

However, as we always say, your phone may need to be replaced, especially if you’ve owned it for as long as your phone number. However, anyone who has updated their landline handset in the recent few years may discover that it will work just fine when the time comes to upgrade.

A new phone can completely change the way you use it, especially with the latest models from Yealink and Mitel that use technology to make it easier to avoid annoying calls. In fact, a number of the phones we tested were able to completely block undesirable callers, so that’s money well spent right there. Even more so if you’re getting calls from scammers on a regular basis.

VoIP landline phones: What you need to know

The fact that VoIP landline phones are being rolled out now that many of us have broadband at home seems reasonable. This is because, in the future, you’ll be connecting your calls via the internet, rather than the ageing copper wire network. 

The call quality, which should be crisper and more audible, is one of the primary advantages. You will, of course, require a broadband connection for this to work, so if you haven’t already done so, contact your phone company.

Another thing to keep in mind about phones that rely on broadband, a router, and a power supply to work is that they rely on services being available online. As a result, if you lose electricity, you may be unable to make or receive calls. If you have a backup phone, this isn’t a problem, but if you don’t, it’s something to keep in mind so you know where you are in the event of an emergency.

Why are VoIP phones so good?

Another advantage of having a landline that uses VoIP to connect you is that it is a lot less expensive option to make calls. Of course, you may argue that you’ll need access to the internet, which you might not have had before. On the bright side, having access to the internet is so beneficial that we believe the advantages far exceed any disadvantages. 

While it may seem strange that someone today does not have access to the internet at home, we must acknowledge that not everyone wants it or, in some situations, wants it but is unable to obtain it. If that’s the case, you’re probably reading this on your smartphone right now.

But, returning to the cost issue, let’s face it: for many years, phone companies have done quite well by charging you for making calls, whether they are local, national, or international. If you have a lot of individuals you need to talk to on a regular basis, VoIP phones can save you a lot of money over time. 

Another advantage of utilising a VoIP phone is that it is far more robust than older phones that were connected using outdated technology and a network made up of a jumble of copper wire and fibre cables.

Water penetration is common on older phone lines, causing interference and frequently stopping your connection in its tracks. While VoIP technology isn’t infallible, it should make your phone connection less sensitive to external interruptions than before. 

That could save you money as well, because there’s a lower chance you’ll need to call in an engineer and deal with all the time and aggravation that entails.

VoIP phones typically offer more features and capability, so if you get one of the best landline phone models on the market today, you’ll find yourself with a veritable telecoms powerhouse on your sideboard. That, in the words of an old BT commercial campaign, should mean that it’s ‘nice to chat’ on it once more.

Summary

So as we know, traditional phone lines will be made redundant in 2025 for a new system to come into place. This system will be powered by internet based phones which will heavily involve VoIP. While the need for VoIP is already in demand due to the benefits the system has to offer, the price will increase nearer to 2025 we get.

At ATS Connection we are doing a price fix promise which will mean that for any business who signs up to our VoIP packages, they will not see a price increase due to the demand.

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What is mobile broadband?

Posted on by Matt Jones

What is mobile broadband?

Millions of homes and businesses now have access to fast fibre optic internet via the BT Openreach network, Virgin Media network. If you can get fibre it’s a great choice, providing fast (sometimes gigabit) speeds at an affordable price.

But that’s if you can get it. There are still many properties where the only option for fixed-line broadband is ADSL, which can be very slow depending on the condition of the line and distance from the exchange. This is a particular problem for rural areas, but there are still urban locations that lack modern broadband infrastructure.

If you’re in a situation where internet access is very sluggish, you might be looking for alternatives, and one potential contender is 4G/5G mobile broadband.

Understanding how Mobile Broadband works and the benefits of it can make a big difference when considering what broadband is right for you. There are a few confusions around Mobile Broadband so lets start with the basics and go from there. Mobile Broadband has two variations to it:

  1. Portable MiFi – devices which allows you to put a SIM card into the device and allows you to take it wherever you go and use it as you see fit. Be that on the train, on a plane or even in cafe with no WiFi. As long as your device has a connection to the mobile network you have chosen (most networks offer this) you will have a connection to the internet.
  2. 4G/5G Broadband router – These are best used at a static location such as an office or at home. Using this method, you are almost having the same set up as traditional fibre broadband, just with a few extra components (discussed below).

How does mobile broadband work?

Mobile broadband works very much like traditional broadband, with a main router which produces internet connection. So, what is the difference? The main difference comes from how they produce an internet connection.

Fibre broadband gets it’s connection from a copper wire which comes from a cabinet in your local area and ran to your house, which then connects into your router and produces internet.

Mobile broadband generates internet via a mobile network SIM card. These are identical to mobile SIMs that you use in your mobile device but have slight differences in how they function. Mobile broadband SIM cards are designed to have multiple devices running on the SIM without crashing and causing issues. Instead of having a copper wire running to your house, mobile broadband generates its connection via antennas attached to the back of your router. In most cases though, it is more beneficial to purchase an exterior antenna, install it to a high point off the property and running an antenna extension wire which goest into the back of the router. Why? Because we are then putting the antenna (which is the component which receives the signal) at a higher vantage point to pick up a much stronger signal.

Ultimately the choice between standard fibre broadband or mobile broadband will come down to your needs, location and demands.

Who can benefit from it?

Most buildings could benefit from mobile broadband, whether they use it as a back up to their current fibre broadband so if that goes down the 4G/5G network kicks in, meaning no down time.

Over the last year or so with working from home being very common for most, they have found that their fibre broadband is not quick or reliable enough for their needs. So this has seen a huge demand for mobile broadband at homes so home works can cope with their work loads.

Those living in a rural area can also benefit from mobile broadband. We have recently installed mobile broadband who was only seeing 3mbps with fibre broadband and is now seeing 35mbps on average!

What are the main benefits?

If broadband options in your area are poor, but your mobile signal is strong, mobile broadband can be a real lifeline. 

In some areas, 4G speeds can be higher than those of the local fixed broadband. It’s a solution you’ll often see in very rural areas that fixed broadband lines struggle to reach.

Mobile broadband is also a great low-cost solution for a temporary problem, perhaps if you’ve just moved home and the broadband is taking time to get connected. Even a week without being connected could be frustrating for the whole family.

With people working from home at the moment, and possibly far more so in the future, mobile broadband could be a solution to having your own connection for work, keeping the fixed broadband for the rest of the family to use.

  • It’s a great way of getting broadband (or higher download speeds, or a more reliable connection) in areas where a fixed line is a bit iffy or difficult to reach.
  • There’s no need for line rental. All you need is a SIM and a compatible device.
  • Mobile broadband plans are usually a lot more flexible.
  • In some areas, 4G speeds can be higher than those of the local fixed broadband.
  • Perfect for businesses or homes in rural areas.

“Mobile broadband has massively increased our broadband speed, making it much easier to work from home.”

How can you get started with mobile broadband?

Getting started is easy, at ATS Connection we specialise in all aspects of broadband and are reinventing how mobile broadband works. Being specialists in mobile broadband we can advise on the best set up you need for your property, install the necessary hardware and supply mobile broadband SIM cards.

So if you are feeling positive that mobile broadband could be what you need, get in contact with us today and find out more by emailing us on info@atsconnection.co.uk or by calling 01903 357002.

The benefits of VoIP

Posted on by Jake Boase

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is nearly identical in operation to a traditional PBX, but rather than using onsite hardware, calls are routed via the internet. It’s ideal for supporting your remote or hybrid workforce, where staff can take calls as if they were sat at their desk in the office. All without costly call forwarding to mobile phones.

Technology has come a long way in the last few years but the needs of businesses have come a long way too. Needing to stay connected to colleagues and consumers at all times wherever you may be in the world, the ability to offer a respectful customer service and to build your businesses up are all ways in which the demands of a business has increased.

How does VoIP work?

To put it simply, instead of having phone lines and wires VoIP replaces them with an internet connection. Converting your voice into data when you speak and converting back to voice on the receiving end, crystal clear with no delay.

Okay, so we know how it works, but how well does it work? VoIP has a 99% uptime and if the small chance of some downtime, your mobile phone app will still allow you to make and receive calls. To top this off, VoIP problems can be fixed remotely within a matter of minutes meaning no expensive call out charges for an engineer to attend the site, getting you back running as usual in no time.

Ultimately the choice between VoIP or onsite will come down to your business needs, but in almost every case, hosted VoIP will be a good fit. Here’s why:

Lower cost per call

VoIP is best known for how cheap it is to make a call. Those low costs are due to the fact that VoIP uses your existing internet connection. This goes for international calls as well as domestic. The only new charge you have to think about is the monthly price of the hosted VoIP service you use, your team members are free to make as many calls as they want to, to each other. Compare this to traditional landlines that require hardware like wires, installation and expensive phone bills!

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Work from anywhere

With hybrid working expected to become the new normal for working practices once ‘stay at home’ advice is relaxed, businesses need staff to be able to communicate wherever they are located.

A phone solution like VoIP will likely come with an app that allows you to make calls on your mobile phone, laptop, and even tablet. This means you can work from anywhere with an internet connection. That way, even if you cannot see colleagues and clients in person, your team can operate at full capacity and productivity levels, even if you’re not physically together. And in many cases team members will be able to keep a single number, regardless of travel or moving from one workspace to another, easy!

Scale it up as you grow

The number of people in your business can go up or down, but scaling up or down accordingly isn’t that easy with a regular telephone system. You have to purchase a handset or a dedicated physical line, which gets expensive. This often results in the need to use clumsy workarounds, like sharing phone sets between users.

With VoIP, scalability is not only easily available, but is also good for keeping your costs low. All you have to do is ask your service provider to add more lines when your team is increasing or remove a line when someone moves on. At any given point of time, you’ll only be paying for what you are currently using.

In other words, VoIP systems can grow comfortably alongside your business, no matter what your size.

Man using a VoIP phone

“VoIP has transformed the way we can stay connected with out clients, anywhere at anytime.”

Packed with features

Calling is more fun with VoIP phone systems, because these phone systems are often accompanied by a variety of attractive features. Call waiting, call transferring, voice recognition, call forwarding, voicemail, caller ID, call blocking, automatic call distribution, etc. are just some of the many features that you may get to choose from, in your hosted VoIP service.

VoIP systems are feature-rich solutions that enable employees to operate as if they were in the office, even when they’re not. You can send voicemails to instant messaging or emails if the intended recipient isn’t available at the moment. It’s easy for organisations to centralise VoIP communication for better coordination. Other features include mobile integration, auto attendant, advanced call routing, conferencing, and call recording.

Integration with other softwares

Given the fact that VoIP is a technology based on the Internet, its integration with your normal business apps and software can be easily achieved.

You could combine VoIP with your email system, and be able to place calls through the email system itself or even with your CRM system, that way you can merge call records of a customer into the customer’s profile.

VoIP also works well with Microsoft Teams so that users can make and receive regular telephone calls either with their Teams app or with physical telephones.

You can schedule online meetings, chat to your co-workers and communicate easily between staff and customers. There are options to create a private or group chat whilst sharing files.

Increase productivity

The way VoIP works, the features it contains and the user friendliness of them allows for staff to become much more productive. Providing staff the ability to host virtual meetings, conduct international phone conferences at a small cost, attach important documents, share significant data through video conferencing and communicating with colleagues on a private chat software.

In recent years VoIP has really taken off quite significantly, especially in terms of voice clarity to the point that it can be clearer than your traditional phone line conversations. When VoIP first came to the market it was in need of some improvement: distorted calls, dropped calls and lagging transmissions to name a few. This is no longer the case and VoIP has now become one of the most popular ways of communication for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Reliable and ready for ISDN switch off

In 2025, the UK’s ISDN network will be turned off. This means traditional telephone lines are being switched off, and more businesses will need to move to VoIP, so now is the time to set up your business with a digital phone line.

For a more in-depth overview about the 2025 switch off, what it means for your business, and whether to make the switch earlier with a possible cost saving, read our ISDN switch off page.

To find out more about how VoIP can transform your business, speak to one of our experts, contact us here.