If your business still uses traditional phone lines, there’s a change coming that you’ll want to get ahead of: Ireland’s old phone network is being switched off. It sounds dramatic, but it doesn’t need to be — with a bit of planning it’s a straightforward upgrade that usually leaves you with a better, cheaper phone system. This guide explains what’s happening, why, and what to do about it.
What is being switched off?
Two things:
- PSTN (the Public Switched Telephone Network) — the traditional copper landline network that’s carried business and home phone calls for decades.
- ISDN — the digital lines many businesses use to run an on-site phone system (PBX), often with several channels.
Both are legacy technology. Across the world, and here in Ireland, telecoms providers are retiring them and moving everything to all-IP — in other words, calls carried over the internet, which is what VoIP means.
Why is it happening?
The copper network is old, expensive to maintain and can’t do what modern businesses need. All-IP is cheaper to run, more reliable and far more flexible. It’s the same shift happening in the UK and across Europe — Ireland is on the same path.
When is it happening?
It’s already underway. New PSTN and ISDN connections are being withdrawn, and existing lines are being retired in phases over the coming years. The exact date for your lines depends on your provider, your products and your location — so the safest move is to check with your provider (or ask us) what applies to your business, rather than wait for a letter.
What does it mean for your business?
If you do nothing, at some point your current lines will stop working and you’ll be forced into a rushed change. If you plan ahead, you get to do it on your terms — usually ending up with lower monthly costs and a better phone system. The businesses that struggle are the ones that leave it to the last minute.
How to prepare (the simple version)
- Find out what you have — old PSTN lines, ISDN, or a mix? Not sure? We can tell you.
- Decide your route. Most businesses move to one of:
- VoIP phone lines — the simplest replacement for old lines
- Cloud PBX — a full modern phone system hosted in the cloud
- SIP trunks — keep your existing phone system, just modernise the lines
- Keep your numbers. In almost all cases your business numbers move across — see how number porting works.
- Do it early. Switching before you’re forced to means no downtime and no panic.
The good news
For most Irish businesses, the switch-off is a chance to end up better off — clearer calls, a lower bill, and features (call routing, voicemail-to-email, answering calls from anywhere) that old lines never offered. If you’re weighing it up, read VoIP vs landline, or if you run an on-site system, when to replace an old PBX.
Not sure where your business stands? Get a free, no-obligation review and we’ll tell you exactly what you have, what’s changing and your best options — in plain English.