PSTN Lines

What is a PSTN line?

PSTN telephone lines are copper pairs of lines running from the telephone exchange to a line box in the premises via a Distribution Point (DP).

They are analogue in nature and may be for residential or business use, depending on the support arrangements associated with the line. In either case, the technology itself does not change. What does is how quickly the fault will be fixed. This is key for many businesses when it is the line across which broadband is provided and if the line goes faulty, so does the broadband.

Beaming prefers to own the line as well as the broadband, as this prevents the to-ing and fro-ing between suppliers which customers find so irritating. If we are responsible for the telephone line as well as the broadband then we are responsible for fixing any faults and Beaming certainly has the tools to do so.

Why Beaming?

Beaming uses Openreach to provide our telephone lines and we were early adopters of Wholesale Line Rental 3, meaning that we gained access to BT’s own systems earlier than many of our competitors. As such we have a long established relationship with Openreach and understand the processes and terminology to get projects completed on time.

We recommend that all business lines are installed as premium lines at least, which means that the target repair time is the end of the next working day. With our superfast broadband services, we supply the PSTN with Service Level 3 which means that Openreach works to fix the fault by midnight if reported before 1pm, or by midday the following day if reported after 1pm.

Are PSTN lines still available?

In areas that have not yet reached their deadline for copper sales, PSTN lines are still available. Checking the status of your location can easily be done on the Openreach website. If you are considering a PSTN line it is worth noting that, although still available in many areas, the technology will become obsolete in 2025 and all support for the system will be gradually withdrawn as this date grows nearer. For a system with longevity and continued support, you may want to make the move away from copper based telephony.