The UK and Ireland’s Communications Providers are in the process of upgrading their customers from the existing analogue phone service to an enhanced IP service. The plan is to migrate to a fully digital phone service by the end of 2025. As a result, the change will affect anything that currently plugs into the existing analogue telephone wall sockets. This includes Fire & Security signalling systems and Telecare Dispersed Alarms.
The project is already well underway and the impact is already being seen at premises nationwide.
When and where?
As part of the UK upgrade, two trials have been taking place since December 2020 and 13 of those exchanges went into stop-sell in June 2021. Four further tranches have been announced and over the next 12 months, this will impact 380 exchanges and over 3.5 million premises. In Ireland, 351 exchanges are now included in the upgrade. You can view a map of exchanges here.
Who’s affected?
Communication Providers are advising end-users to contact their service providers for assistance.
What do you need to do?
Openreach is working with Installers, ARCs and the wider industry to ensure all systems are future-proofed or upgraded as part of the project.
