ISDN is dead, long live SIP!

Discover why it’s important to get acquainted with SIP trunk providers and make sure you don’t get stuck with outdated technology. ISDN is quickly getting overtaken by next-generation SIP telephony.

ISDN is in decline

Over a five-year period, the number of ISDN channels used by UK businesses declined by 30%.

2007: 4.7 million ISDN channels used by UK business

2012: 3.3 million ISDN channels used by UK business

In just one year in the UK almost a third of a million ISDN channels were replaced.

2012: In just one year in the UK almost a third of a million ISDN channels were replaced.

At some point in the near future, telecoms operators are expected to stop offering ISDN as an option. This trend was started in May 2013 when US telecoms provider Verizon stopped offering ISDN basic services to new business customers. And it’s now happening in continental Europe.

What’s causing the ISDN decline?

A major factor is that businesses are demanding more flexibility from their telephony system.

With SIP trunking you can:

• Move offices and keep the same geographic number with no call forwarding costs.
• Maintain better business continuity. Re-route calls to alternative destinations quickly and easily in times of disruption.
• Reduce call costs. IP connectivity costs less than ISDN and offers free internal calls with no call forwarding costs.
• Rationalise ISDN lines and reduce the number of PBXs – PBXs can even be hosted in the cloud.
• Utilise a phone service that can cope with any emergency and offer 100% uptime.
• Use a single connection for high quality voice and data services.

The message is clear; the more flexible SIP trunk is fast consigning ISDN to its ultimate demise in the business telephony market.