Despite the introduction of newer communication options such as email and instant messaging, the telephone remains an essential tool for parishes and schools today. But there are various different types of phone lines available, so you need to look at the options and decide which best meets your needs and budget.

Fixed Lines

There are essentially four different types of fixed phone line available to organisations:

• Single analogue lines
• Multi-line systems
• ISDN2
• ISDN30

The single analogue line is essentially the same type of circuit that you have at home, delivering a connection via just one line. Although you can have multiple extensions, only one person at a time can use the phone and incoming callers will be presented with an engaged tone when the line is in use.

A multi-line system, as the name suggests, gives you several lines, so a number of calls can be taking place at the same time and there’s a better chance of incoming calls getting through. This usually involves having a switchboard or PBX system in place in order to route calls to the appropriate person. This type of arrangement gives you the flexibility to give each person in the business their own direct dial number and access to external calling. Exactly what features you get will depend on the system you install.

For larger organisations or those needing higher audio quality, there’s a digital alternative in the form of ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). ISDN phone lines come in two flavours, ISDN2 and ISDN30, with ISDN30 offering more capacity. Both types offer digital clarity and are suitable for high-quality use, such as broadcast voice. This does, however, come at a higher cost.

However, fixed lines will soon be phased out

In December 2025, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is going to be switched off. This is so the deteriorating network can be replaced with new, modern technology fit for the digital world we live in now.

The network is the infrastructure behind analogue phone lines and it also supports ISDN lines. Once it’s switched off, these fixed lines and services will be withdrawn and any landlines will cease to work. You can read more about the PSTN switch off in our Q&A here [LINK TO PSTN SWITCH OFF Q&A].

Alternative solutions

You don’t have to wait to make the upgrade to future-proof technology. In fact, switching now can save you a lot of hassle later.

One alternative is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) which allows calls to be made over an internet connection. The move to IP services also means that it is now possible to do away with your in-house PABX if you have one. Instead, you can switch to hosted PABX. This is effectively a telephone exchange in the cloud, allowing you to handle all of your call traffic without the need for hardware on your premises. Calls can also be rerouted to mobile phones so you or your colleagues can take calls away from your desk.

Choosing a supplier

When looking for a supplier for your phone solutions, there is a wealth of choice, so how do you decide which service to choose? The first thing to consider is that the majority of providers actually deliver the same product installed and maintained by BT Openreach. So when choosing individual suppliers, you will need to consider the cost of the phone line rental, and other costs too. You need to look at the call packages available and at any additional costs that may be incurred by installing a telephone line, for example.

Remember that tariffs for organisations are different from domestic ones, so understand what you’re paying for. If most of your outgoing calls are made during daytime working hours, these will be considered as ‘peak’ so look for a package that offers you the best rates at peak times. It is also important to take other types of rates into account as many providers may charge a setup fee for making a call in addition to the pence per minute rate.

If your organisation supplies mobile phones, you should consider a combined deal for your mobile and phone communications. This will help you to control costs and streamline the distribution of calls to the appropriate people.

Of course, you need to be sure of your service’s reliability. For that reason, you need to look carefully at the service level agreement (SLA) any potential supplier offers to ensure the turnaround time for repairs and the level of uptime is satisfactory. Even if an SLA offers 99.9% uptime, this could mean that your phones are down for around 10 minutes each week. This might not matter if it occurs at night, but it could cause serious disruption were it to happen during the day.

In addition to looking at the contracts, you should consider a wider examination of the supplier’s record in customer service. Look at independent reviews and see if it’s possible to talk to existing customers about their experience to make sure you’ll get the best service possible.