8X8 Digital Telephony
Prepare your School for the PSTN and ISDN Switch-Off in 2027!
By 31st January 2027 UK phone lines will move from the old PSTN (public switched telephone network) to IP-based digital telephony using a fibre network. In simpler terms your school's phone system and telephony devices will rely on a fibre broadband connection.
Our new Digital Telephony Service (8X8) provides an option for our Broadband and Online Services subscribers to meet this requirement and offers a solution tailored for the needs of schools and multi-academy trusts (MAT). This solution is simple to use, offering traditional handsets, or headset options for laptops and computers and is supported from any mobile or internet connection.
What are the benefits?
Flexibility and Portability - Designed to work from any compatible VoIP phone, computer, laptop or mobile device. Your external school numbers are no longer tied to a specific location or device, and you have full control over how inbound calls are routed and answered.
Visibility and Control - Get access to your own management dashboard where you can manage the system, review call costs and usage.
Microsoft Teams ready - Integration allows for a full unified communications solution that combines traditional voice into a single platform providing voice, video and messaging.
Scalability - Designed to scale from the smallest Primary School up to the largest MAT, and to grow or shrink according to your needs.
Simplicity and Familiarity - Option to use the service with a compatible VoIP phone, providing a solution that is as familiar to use as a traditional telephone.
Secured and Updated - Configured to fully secure your voice traffic, and frequent updates to the software ensures that your operations are not put at unnecessary risk.
Cloud Service - Benefit from a cloud provided service, available where you need it. It requires no on-premises server infrastructure to be installed at the school.
Resilient and Reliable - If your school loses power or broadband, you can easily redirect the school number to another place such as a mobile, or provide a recorded message to inform callers.
Sustainability - Lancashire County Council select suppliers who can demonstrate their commitment to tackling sustainability and promoting environmentally responsible practices.
8x8 webinar recording:
Our latest webinar recording for the 8X8 Digital Telephony webinar is available to view now. Click the below video to watch the recording and learn more about digital telephony (VoIP) and the analogue switch off in 2025.
