This digital switchover has big implications for supported housing providers. Many warden call systems won’t work on the old PSTN lines when they start to change over. There are significant infrastructure changes planned for all network providers across the UK which could impact you, and the industry in which you operate. By 2025, the traditional phone network the ‘public switched telephone network’ (PSTN) will start to be discontinued and replaced with new technology that will use broadband for all phone calls and data transfer.
There are housing providers in the UK that still rely on the PSTN network, leaving them in a vulnerable position considering the future networking advancements. Many organisations have PSTN-based systems, such as their access control and warden call systems. CAME KMS are working with several housing providers (such as Slough Borough Council, Nuneaton, and Bedworth Council and GreenSquareAccord) that are upgrading their warden call systems and at the same time upgrading their access control to CAME KMS SimpleKey Web. If you do not upgrade your current access control system, you may be left with an inoperable system after the PSTN is switched off.
Reasons why housing providers are upgrading both warden call and access control systems at the same time:
- A unified platform that can control access to both their sheltered scheme sites and warden call from a master cloud
- Easy to configure and split sites using sub clouds for individual or group sites if required
- No need for dedicated PC's on site to control access
- Remotely open doors for emergency access
- Easily added to warden call entry panel by using our panel mount reader
- Digital notice board functionality to send information to residents in real time
- Can connect through broadband or sim if required
- Reports can be run instantly or can be scheduled, to maximise the safety of residents
- Real time email alerts
In summary, the termination of PSTN is inevitable and it is important you upgrade your building management systems to align with the infrastructural changes, as existing PSTN modems will not work after the upgrade by Openreach. If you remain on a PSTN system then they may start to become inoperable by 2025, leaving you vulnerable, due to the withdrawal of the PSTN network. Therefore, it is important to evaluate your access control system.
CAME KMS are happy to provide the information and support you require to ensure you avoid any access control complications in the future.
Find out more about what the PSTN Switch off could mean for you: https://business.bt.com/why-choose-bt/insights/digital-transformation/uk-pstn-switch-off/
