December 2020 Newsletter • ComNET Solutions

Is your business ready for the end of the traditional phone line?

The phrase, “Mr. Watson – come here. I want to see you,” uttered by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 was the phrase literally heard around the world. With this statement, the “plain old telephone system,” or “POTS” system was born, and distance no longer separated families. Local businesses were transformed into international conglomerates as the doors opened with effective, reliable, and instantaneous communications.

Telecommunications is on the precipice of even more significant changes, as businesses and end-users alike migrate away from the traditional telecom lines to the modern, and more versatile, wireless or VoIP connections. In fact, the NHIS reported that up to 75% of Americans live in “wireless only” homes, meaning they do not have the traditional “home phone,” instead, they are adopting mobile phones or VoIP (typically bundled with their internet and cable provider). The FCC reported in their own findings that the use of landlines peaked in the year 2000 with 194 million lines in use to just over 100 million by 2012, a 48% decline in just 12 years.

Aging Infrastructure and Falling Subscription Rates Combined to End the

Traditional Phone Line
After just 150 years, the revolutionary technology is being pushed aside, especially as digital technologies have become even more reliable. Telecom giant AT&T has just petitioned the FCC for the retirement of the copper lines that are the lifeblood of the traditional telephone line and are mandated by the FCC for maintenance of the aging system. In their petition, AT&T stated, “there is no reason to delay a transition that will bring massive benefits to American consumers.*” AT&T is not the only telecom giant advocating for change. Verizon has also pushed for the ability to not replace copper wires that were destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, instead pushing subscribers to their digital offer. But with the proliferation of the internet and the growth in the reliability, quality, and features of digital solutions, the antiquated copper wires are no longer seen as the “lifeblood” of telecommunications, but rather as a drain on resources and negatively impacting the competitiveness of the traditional telecom players.

Once seen only as a cost-saving measure, Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is quickly replacing the traditional phone line as the defacto voice communications solution. The question is, why?

VoIP Poised to Replace Traditional Phone Lines
VoIP is not a new technology, although many of us are just learning of this internet-based communications protocol. First used in 1970, VoIP uses your local area network (LAN) to send small digital packets over the internet to the recipient. Advances in the reliability and sound quality have encouraged end-users and businesses alike to cut the cord on the traditional phone-line and adopt the more versatile, and yes, less expensive telecom solution. As we see it, there are nine reasons VoIP outperforms traditional phone lines aside from the cost. They are:

Scalability – Your business is not static. It is cyclical. Guessing each upgrade cycle how many lines you will need is frustrating and can be expensive. If you guess too high, you pay much more than you need to. If you guess too low, you can stagnate your business growth. Additionally, legacy solutions have a limit as to how many phones can be connected – but VoIP does not. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to VoIP.
Agility – The key to gaining a competitive edge is moving faster than your competition. VoIP solutions can manage changes in volume and users within minutes and removes any ceiling that might affect your communications solution as you grow.
Mobility – In this modern work environment, employees are demanding more flexible work arrangements, including the ability to take and make calls from anywhere. Statistics even show how flexible work arrangements also increase employee productivity, allowing workers to still connect even during a sick day or outside appointment. VoIP enables this type of mobility through a simple dashboard that allows you to choose which line will get the call.
Advanced Features – VoIP is evergreen. Meaning it will always deploy the most advanced features on the market with no additional cost to you as the end-user. Updates are automatically filtered and deployed to your location through the same lines the device uses to communicate.
Flexibility – Digital communications technologies like VoIP and Unified-Communications-as-a-Service have one huge distinctive advantage over copper lines: flexibility. The phone number associated with the device is not tied to one particular device in one specific situation. Instead, several devices can be tied to the same extension, and you can decide which device should ring at which time. Or, if you forgot to change your call flow and need your calls to reach you only on your cell phone and you have left the office, internet-based dashboards enable you to make those changes on the fly and from any internet-connected device.
Reduced Complexity – In the golden days of business telephony, the effort and expense to install a PBX was . Between paying for the certified individual to set up, install all devices, and do adds, moves, and changes throughout the span of the technology’s lifetime, to the simple cost of buying the equipment, paying for the electrical needs to run it and the space to house it. Every interaction with the system required certified engineers. A new employee’s ability to communicate was dependent on the schedule of the technician to be able to add the user. But VoIP removes all of these complexities. The solution is mostly software-driven, instead of specialized hardware, and accessed with a simple graphical user interface (GUI). Day to day management of the solution can be handled by administrative personnel, reserving your IT staff for the more complex needs of your business.
Security – A myth has surrounded VoIP and cloud solutions almost since inception. There has been a perceived security risk to a corporation’s data that has persisted, even though the myth has frequently been debunked. Recent studies have found that on-premise solutions are at the same amount of risk of a breach as cloud solutions, and sometimes even greater risk. A survey by Alert Logic back in 2012 actually found that on-premise solutions were at a greater risk of compromise and data loss, with on-premise solutions being attacked 61.4% and cloud solutions only 27.8%. The fact is, as your service provider, we put your security at the top of our mind when devising and offering solutions such as VoIP and other cloud offerings. Our staff is certified and participates in frequent educational opportunities to learn about the latest cyber-security risks and protection strategies.
Quality – VoIP is not new and has been used in some form since the 1970s. It has recently gained popularity as the technology has grown and proven itself to be a serious competitor to the traditional telephone. Because VoIP has been in use for almost 50 years, many of the original sound quality issues have been resolved. Thanks to innovations in sound compression and advancements in IP connections, VoIP actually provides superior sound quality as long as there is a high bandwidth and robust internet connection.
Business Continuity – You may have heard horror stories about VoIP connections and outages. And while in those early years, these stories were warranted. Internet connections were wildly unreliable, and since VoIP ran over these connections, if they went down, so did your phone. But now, internet providers have made considerable strides in the reliability and strength of their IP connections, making outages rare. Add in cellular technologies as a failover, VoIP solutions can actually failback on the cellular 4G or 5G network and continue services in the event of an internet outage, meaning you remain connected regardless of the status of your internet connection.

The traditional phone as we know it is becoming a piece of history
It is no longer a matter of if, but when the copper lines that have serviced our telephones for generations will be phased out. Major carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon, have listed a sunset date for the maintenance of these copper wires to occur next year. Yes, in 2020, if a copper line goes down, the operator will not need to replace the line, but instead, transfer your service over to the digital solutions.

Start your migration today, and avoid the headache of a forced migration when you are least expecting it. Talk with one of our staff today to see how we can help you manage the transition and keep your business connected.

*https://www.att.com/Common/about_us/files/pdf/fcc_filing.pdf

Windows 7 End of Life in January 2020

As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft Windows no longer supports the Windows 7 generation of their operating system. Instead, the developer is encouraging current Windows 7 users to migrate to the newer generation of Windows 10.

What does end-of-life mean? In short, there will be no more bug fixes, security patches, upgrades, and Windows 7 users will be substantially more at risk for malicious attacks from malware.

While Microsoft will not entirely leave Windows 7 users hanging, choosing to support the older system will cost you. Not only in hefty support fees, but the significant risk that Windows 7 has in regards to malware. The 2017 WannaCry* outbreak affected Windows 7 systems the most and as recently disclosed, the operating system is still vulnerable to the BlueKeep** bug.

Migrate with Ease
Migration to Windows 10 does not need to be a huge headache for you. As your technology partner, we have several solutions that can help you manage the transition with ease:

Update current systems with the newest operating systems. This will only work for hardware that is capable of handling Windows 10, and we can help you assess which of your systems can handle this.
Complete refresh of all endpoints. Computer hardware is only expected to last a maximum of 4 years, meaning the majority of your systems are nearing their own life-expectancy, and you could start encountering a lot of maintenance and repairs to keep your business running. One way to overcome this challenge is with the purchase of new hardware for your business.

Subscribe to our Hardware-as-a-Service solution. Just like our other products, like UCaaS, DRaaS, Hardware-a-a-Service (HaaS) can help you save money by moving your hardware needs from CapEX to OpEx, and combines your existing maintenance contract with your hardware purchase.

*https://www.lansweeper.com/report/wannacry-ms17-010/

**https://www.lansweeper.com/vulnerability/microsoft-fixes-critical-bluekeep-vulnerability/

Letter from Michael at ComNET Solutions
The holiday season has arrived, and with it, the joy and magic of the lights, sounds, and smells that define this season.

To start, we want to wish you, our valued partner, a happy holiday, and thank you for your support over the years. You are our most valued gift, and we will continue to work together with you to ensure the security, technology, and growth of your business with the highest caliber of customer support and technology offerings.

These holidays are the best time of the year, and we are grateful for you and your support. We want to extend to you, your staff, and your family the warmest wishes this holiday season.

Wishing you the best, and we will see you next year.

Michael Marquardt
ComNET Solutions

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