The ISDN Shutdown at a glance

The NBN rollout is well underway and the ISDN services that power most Australian business communications will begin the disconnection process on September 30. With the disconnection period initially planned for June, Telstra and the ACCC has pushed back the date with a last-minute extension, giving Australian organisations around six months to make the switch. To avoid a sudden disconnection, businesses using ISDN services need to upgrade to SIP before the cut-off date.

What are ISDN services and why are they being turned off?

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is the primary form of telephony for Australian businesses, powering communications such as voice, fax, and even video. ISDN Services services are categorised as “Special Services” by NBN and are scheduled to be disconnected to make way for use as part of the National Broadband Network. Because ISDN is no longer a viable option, businesses must look to alternatives such as SIP (Session Initiated Initiation Protocol).

SIP and ISDN are technically both digital communications protocols, but a core difference is that SIP is IP-based, allowing it to run over existing data networks, like a Wide Area Network or internet service.

While SIP has been available for many years, ISDN has remained popular as a reliable and cost-effective communications service for small and large businesses alike. SIP also relies on a well-optimised data network to function its best, like such as a QoS enabled MPLS WAN with QoS enabled. Now that high-speed bandwidth is more readily available, and that ISDN is heading the way of the dodo, upgrading to next-gen voice technology is now a business imperative.

What do you need to do before upgrading to SIP?

Because SIP can run over an existing data network, it enables organisations to be more scalable and versatile, quickly adding lines and trunks where needed, and all while using existing infrastructure. Before an organisation can migrate their voice platform from ISDN to SIP however, there are some network requirements that they must first address.

• Phone System compatibility - Is your phone system able to support a SIP voice service?
• Data network bandwidth – Does your business internet or WAN service have enough bandwidth to support voice services?
• Quality of Service (QoS) - For best voice quality, a QoS enabled data service is preferred.
• Firewall – Ensure your firewall is configured to support the SIP voice service.
• SIP voice provider – Find a service provider that is able to provide SIP services that are designed for businesses.

Don’t wait until it’s too late

The 30^th of September is fast approaching, and designing the right solution for your business can take time. You will need to act soon in order to avoid having your phone services disconnected.

How can Bendigo Telco Help?

Whether your organisation runs in a small office, or you have an extensive network of sites spanning the entire country, Bendigo Telco can assist in getting your business SIP-ready. We specialise in designing, provisioning and managing the secure, high-speed data networks required to power SIP platforms. Utilising industry-leading communications solutions from global voice experts Avaya, we can also provide the phone systems that are required to transition your business to the new world of digital voice services.