The ISDN & PSTN Switch-Off in Ireland: Is Your Business Ready?
The Irish copper switch-off is officially underway. Open Eir and ComReg are actively retiring Ireland’s aging copper telephone network—meaning traditional ISDN and PSTN lines are reaching their end of life. Future-proof your communications today with a modern, cost-effective Cloud PBX and VoIP solution from Conversation Piece.
What is the Irish Copper Lines Switch-Off?
Across Ireland, the traditional copper phone network (PSTN and ISDN) that has powered business communications for decades is being permanently replaced by a modern, fully digital fibre network (known as All-IP).
Governed by ComReg and executed by Open Eir, this transition is already impacting businesses nationwide. Here is the current state of the switch-off:
- End of Sale (Stop Sell): Open Eir is actively restricting the sale of new ISDN and PSTN lines in areas where fibre broadband is now available.
- Exchange Decommissioning: Local telephone exchanges across the Republic of Ireland are being progressively upgraded, and legacy analogue equipment is being switched off.
- End of Life Hardware: If your legacy ISDN hardware or legacy PBX fails, telecom providers are increasingly unable to repair it due to a lack of replacement parts. The standard industry resolution is now a mandatory migration to VoIP.
How the PSTN & ISDN Switch-Off Impacts Your Business
If your office is still relying on traditional PSTN landlines, ISDN2, or ISDN30 circuits, your business continuity is at a major risk. Delaying your migration can result in:
- Sudden Loss of Service: As Open Eir upgrades local exchanges, you could lose your voice communications overnight if you ignore migration notices.
- Redundant Hardware: It is not just phones. Legacy equipment like fax machines, older burglar alarms, lift emergency lines, and EPOS (card payment) terminals that rely on copper lines will stop working.
- Compliance & Security Risks: Older analogue systems lack modern encryption and are no longer actively supported with security patches.
- Falling Behind Competitors: Legacy lines cannot support the flexibility, remote working capabilities, and unified communications that modern Irish businesses require to stay competitive.
The Solution: Seamlessly Upgrade to Cloud VoIP & SIP
Moving away from legacy lines does not have to be a headache. At Conversation Piece, we turn this mandatory switch-off into a major upgrade for your business. Transitioning to our Cloud VoIP and SIP Trunking Solutions offers immediate advantages:
- Massive Cost Savings: Eliminate expensive ISDN line rentals and enjoy significantly cheaper national and international call rates. Our clients routinely save up to 70% on their monthly telecom bills.
- Keep Your Existing Numbers: We seamlessly port your existing business numbers (01, 021, 1800, etc.) to the cloud so your clients never experience a disruption.
- Work From Anywhere: With our unified communications apps, your team can make and receive business calls from their laptops or smartphones, displaying your office caller ID from anywhere in the world.
- Enterprise Features for SMEs: Gain access to crystal-clear HD voice, voicemail-to-email, auto-attendants (IVR), call reporting, and CRM integrations at a price small businesses can afford.
- Scalability on Demand: Add or remove users and phone lines in seconds as your team grows—no engineer site visits required.
Why Choose Conversation Piece for Your VoIP Migration?
We understand that overhauling your business phone system can feel daunting. That is why businesses across the 32 counties have trusted us to handle their communications.
- 40+ Years of Excellence: 100% Irish-owned and established in 1978, we have successfully guided businesses through every major telecommunications evolution.
- Nationwide Coverage: With core offices in Dublin and Cork , our expert field engineers are available wherever you are.
- Zero Downtime Guarantee: We project manage your entire migration from copper to cloud alongside your existing IT setup to ensure a perfectly seamless, risk-free handover.
- Unrivalled Local Support: We don’t just sell you a system and walk away. Enjoy full-time support and a dedicated Irish Help Desk whenever you need us.
Thousands of clients have trusted us
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is the exact deadline for the ISDN and PSTN switch-off in Ireland? Unlike the UK (which has a hard deadline), the copper switch-off in Ireland is happening gradually on a region-by-region basis as Open Eir rolls out fibre broadband. While the EU target for total copper switch-off is 2030, the migration is actively happening right now. If fibre is available in your area, your copper lines are already nearing their end of life.
Will I lose my existing business phone numbers? Absolutely not. When you migrate to a digital VoIP solution with Conversation Piece, we port your existing landline numbers directly into the cloud. The transition is invisible to your customers.
What happens to my alarm system, lift phones, or card machines? This is a critical detail many businesses overlook. Traditional copper lines also power burglar alarms, fire alarms, lift emergency phones, and older card payment terminals. When the PSTN line is switched off, these devices will fail. We will help you audit your current setup to ensure all vital services are safely transitioned to IP-compatible alternatives.
Will my business experience downtime during the switch to VoIP? No. Our experienced engineers project manage the entire process to ensure zero downtime. We install and configure your new Cloud PBX system parallel to your old setup, and only switch over once everything is fully tested and your numbers have successfully ported.
Is VoIP reliable for business calls? Yes. Modern VoIP runs over high-speed fibre internet and delivers crystal-clear, HD voice quality that is far superior to old analogue lines. It is incredibly robust and offers built-in disaster recovery—if your office loses power or internet, calls automatically and instantly route to your team’s mobile phones.
Let's Start the Conversation
Don’t wait until your lines go dead or you are forced into a rushed migration. The Irish copper switch-off is here. Secure your business communications, reduce your monthly overheads, and empower your remote workers today.
Call our experts: 1800 300 678
Email us: info@conversationpiece.ie