Electrotechnical industry gears up for All-IP switch

Leading electrotechnical services trade body ECA stepped up advice to its members and the wider industry as they prepare for the switch to All-IP (Internet Protocol) networks. The UK switch started in the summer of 2021 and completion is set for 2025. The switchover presents an abundance of commercial opportunities.

By 2025, telecommunications providers will gradually switch 14 million traditional copper phone lines to All-IP networks which use fibre optic cabling.

ECA Technical Manager Shahid Khan said, “To retire the entire UK analogue network by the 2025 deadline, an average of 50,000 analogue lines will need to be upgraded to digital every week. This presents a huge opportunity for structured data cabling professionals to get involved in this space.”

Mark Taylor, ECHO General Manager, commented, “The migration to digital All-IP is a global step change. At ECHO, we would underline the importance for all monitored alarm systems, including police response alarms being adapted as needs be to ensure future-proof alarm signalling in the All-IP world. Adapting to All-IP is essential for the benefits of alarm monitoring and in the case of police response alarms being ECHO-connected.”

Demand for faster broadband and other digital communications services has skyrocketed in recent years - especially during the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020/2021.

Some of the customer benefits anticipated to result from the switchover include:

• Larger businesses will be able to consolidate multiple sites onto a single platform, reducing operational costs and requiring less equipment and maintenance (simpler network structure).
• Improved telephony via laptop/PC, and general improvements in functionality e.g., voicemail to email, call recording, instant messaging, call management and diary integration.

Openreach has launched a national campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the roll-out process, and it recommends that organisations join its Call Waiting List to stay informed.

ECA offers valuable trade association membership to organisations operating in the data communications systems industry. Click here to learn more.

This article originally appeared on the ECA website. It was published on 11 October 2021.

--ECA

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• All-Internet Protocol.
• Articles by the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA).
• Digital communications and infrastructure dependencies.
• Energy management and building controls.
• Fibre optic cable.
• Intelligent building management systems IBMS.
• Intelligent multi-sensor alarm.
• Internet of things.
• Roll-out of full fibre broadband in the UK.
• Smart building management systems.

[edit] External resources

• Openreach.