Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Broadband providers can now flog Openreach's new IP voice network in bid to ditch UK's copper phone lines by 2025

Needing a landline will soon be a thing of the past

BT's Openreach today launched an IP-based network that aims to ultimately replace the UK's public switched telephone network (PSTN), which carries analogue voice communications.

The service, SOGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access), will allow retailers to offer standalone broadband products without necessarily bundling a landline service, which can add extra cost to consumers.

Retailers will also be able to offer VoIP-based landline products to customers who still want a fixed phone.

Openreach aims to switch off the PSTN by 2025, which will require the industry to migrate 50,000 customers each week between now and the deadline.

woman on vintage rotary telephone 1950s

Switch about to get real: Openreach bod on the challenge of shuttering UK's copper phone lines

READ MORE

SOGEA has previously only been available to communications wholesalers on an early-deployment basis. This meant that providers were effectively selling a product that was "in beta" and could change.

Infrastructure provider Openreach hopes that the formalisation of the product will entice more users to switch.

Speaking to The Register, Gordon Cannon, SOGEA product lead at Openreach, described the switch as monumental. "This is a significant day, because we're providing the product to retail communication providers. It's giving them the commercial confidence that they can provide new digital products customers and start the migration to new IP-based infrastructure."

It's not just phone calls that use the analogue network — security alarms, accessibility devices and more also rely on it. Cannon said he looks forward to seeing how retailers will use SOGEA by supporting technological integrations, as well as their disabled users.

"It's hard to comment on what retail providers will do, but I should imagine that providers will look to make voice communications more accessible for hard-of-hearing users — as well as introduce anti-spam innovations," he said.

SOGEA's about "the quality of the call and accessibility of the call, principally," he added.

And while SOGEA holds promise for end-to-end users, it'll likely also help Openreach's bottom line. By doubling down on fibre, the infrastructure provider will no longer have to maintain two separate networks, which is expensive in terms of financial and human resources. ®

 

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like