- Created by
- Pritesh Patel
- Tel: 01664 562 967E-mail: ppatel@eragroup.com
- The UK’s legacy copper-based PSTN and ISDN network is being fully retired, with the final switch-off currently planned for 31 January 2027.
- Although that may feel distant, telecoms operators urged organisations to migrate well before the deadline (ideally by the end of 2025) - to avoid disruption during the final phase-out. This recommended timeline has past, and so this needs to be an urgent priority for businesses still using PSTN services.
- This isn’t just about office phone lines. Many business-critical systems still depend on copper connections: card payment terminals, alarm lines, CCTV feeds, lift/emergency telephony, building management sensors, and older broadband products. Left unaddressed, these services could stop working without warning once the switch-off progresses.
- A successful transition usually means moving to fully IP-based services, bringing better reliability and functionality. But there’s a practical challenge: the entire UK business community needs to transition - meaning very limited availability of engineers, hardware and installation capacity as the deadline approaches.What leaders should do now:- Audit every device and service still using PSTN or ISDN
- - Budget and schedule replacement projects early
- - Prioritise safety-critical and customer-touching systems
- Acting early helps avoid operational disruption and inflated last-minute costs.
- Software Renewals: AI Is Inflating Budgets
- Across the software industry, renewal costs are rising faster than expected. One major reason: vendors are blaming the increased cost of developing AI and embedding capabilities into their products - and resetting pricing models to monetise them.
- For many organisations, this means paying more at renewal even if internal teams aren’t actively using the AI features. New AI “premium” licenses, usage-based models, and forced upgrades are turning what used to be predictable operational spend into an increasingly volatile cost base.
- There is a commercial logic: AI requires heavy investment in compute infrastructure, data management and security. But the risk for businesses is becoming locked into inflated costs without gaining equivalent value. Of course, some vendors are just citing investment in AI as an opportunity to increase costs!What leaders should do now:- Review all upcoming renewals for price shifts linked to AI
- - Challenge add-ons and bundled features your teams don’t need
- - Benchmark alternative tools before committing to multi-year terms
- Visibility today will prevent unwelcome budget surprises tomorrow - and ensure AI investment only happens where it genuinely supports productivity and growth.
- For more information, please speak to your ERA consultant.
- Contact Pritesh Patel
