I was talking to an old friend yesterday, and he told me that he's
been working from home for a while now, and the conversation turned to
ISDN phone service, which I recommend to anyone who can still obtain
it.

This morning, while searching to find out which states, if any, still
offer ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI) phone lines, I came across a
story from 2016, which predicted that "BT" (I assume that's British
Telecom) would discontinue "PSTN" service in 2025.

So, I have some questions:

1. Which states still have tariffs for ISDN BRI lines?
2. Which countries still use the technology?
3. Is "BT" really going to turn off dial tones in 2025?

Curious people want to know!

https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/The-Full-Spectrum/ISDNs-days-are-numbered-What-should-you-do

--
(Please remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly)

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Am Donnerstag, 19. Mai 2022, um 13:05:58 Uhr schrieb Bill Horne:

3. Is "BT" really going to turn off dial tones in 2025?

British Telecom at least says that: https://business.bt.com/insights/digital-transformation/uk-pstn-switch-off/

|We're moving all our customers from the old analogue public
|switched telephone network (PSTN) to a fully digital network. We've
|already started. We plan to have moved everyone over before
|Openreach stop the PSTN (and ISDN) service in 2025.

Rather interesting - they still gave offers for ISDN on their website: https://business.bt.com/products/voice/isdn/

They also seem to switch off the analog lines (PSTN).

In Germany, Deutsche Telekom already switched off ISDN. The old PSTN
network has been replaced with ISDN equipment in the 90s and analog
lines were only available from the switching system to the customer.
They are still, but the backbone is IP-based and new contracts aren't
possible.

I don't know how PSTN is currently handled in the UK.

***** Moderator's Note *****

I'm assuming that "the old PSTN network" means "the old analog central
offices and tandem switches (e.g., Step-by-step or crossbar)," because
I think of ISDN as a "link" protocol that is served via digital
switches and tandems which carry the "Bearer" channels to their
destination in digital form, without any A-to-D or D-to-A
conversions. I think, at least in the U.S., that each Bearer channel
is still assigned to a virtual-circuit switched connection during a
phone call.

If I'm wrong, *please* post a correction!

Bill Horne
Moderator

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On Fri, May 20, 2022 at 11:40:00PM -0400, Michael Trew wrote:

On 5/19/2022 9:05, Bill Horne wrote:

I was talking to an old friend yesterday, and he told me that he's
been working from home for a while now, and the conversation turned to
ISDN phone service, which I recommend to anyone who can still obtain
it.

1. Which states still have tariffs for ISDN BRI lines?

I'm not entirely sure how to read this list, but AT&T keeps updating it. It seems they have a strong push to de-regulate and remove tariffs from as many regions as possible. It's been explained to me that some of these listings are "legacy" services, possible ISDN service.

http://cpr.att.com/pdf/dsa/zero_demand_tracker.pdf

The acronym "ISDN" doesn't appear when I search that file, but almost
all the references are to services defined in other places.

I hope some of the SME's who read this can provide both specifics and
the reasons for the "services" being removed/discontinued.

Just as one example:

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

North Carolina

All services provided under the General Subscriber Services Tariff

All services provided under the Access Services Tariff

All services provided under the General Exchange Guidebook

All services provided under the Private Line Guidebook

All services provided under the Access Guidebook, except AT&T Switched
Ethernet Service and AT&T Dedicated Ethernet Service found in
Section E30

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

While we're at it, someone please explain to me how "Ethernet" can be considered a "switched" service - assuming that Winston Smitch hasn't
amended the definition of the word yet.

Bill Horne

--
(Please remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly)

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On 5/19/2022 9:05, Bill Horne wrote:

I was talking to an old friend yesterday, and he told me that he's
been working from home for a while now, and the conversation turned to
ISDN phone service, which I recommend to anyone who can still obtain
it.

1. Which states still have tariffs for ISDN BRI lines?

I'm not entirely sure how to read this list, but AT&T keeps updating it.
It seems they have a strong push to de-regulate and remove tariffs
from as many regions as possible. It's been explained to me that some
of these listings are "legacy" services, possible ISDN service.

http://cpr.att.com/pdf/dsa/zero_demand_tracker.pdf

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On 5/19/22 9:49 AM, Marco Moock wrote:

British Telecom at least says that: https://business.bt.com/insights/digital-transformation/uk-pstn-switch-off/

We're moving all our customers from the old analogue public
switched telephone network (PSTN) to a fully digital network. We've
already started. We plan to have moved everyone over before
Openreach stop the PSTN (and ISDN) service in 2025.

I see two very key take aways from BT's statement;

1) "old /analogue/ public switched network" -- I often see "analog"
omitted and people just referring to the PSTN without qualification.
2) "and ISDN" -- Seeing as how ISDN is /digital/* it's nice to have it
called out in addition to the /analog/ (part of) the PSTN.

*Yes, I know that digital eventually depends on the analog domain.

They also seem to switch off the analog lines (PSTN).

I'm seeing effort to switch of analog lines and ISDN in a lot of places.
Many places have a concerted push to eradicate POTS and / or ISDN. --
I'm using POTS in lieu of "analog PSTN".

I'm also seeing lack of effort / unwillingness to maintain POTS and / or
ISDN more places.

***** Moderator's Note *****

I'm assuming that "the old PSTN network" means "the old analog central offices and tandem switches (e.g., Step-by-step or crossbar)," because
I think of ISDN as a "link" protocol that is served via digital
switches and tandems which carry the "Bearer" channels to their
destination in digital form, without any A-to-D or D-to-A
conversions. I think, at least in the U.S., that each Bearer channel
is still assigned to a virtual-circuit switched connection during a
phone call.

If I'm wrong, *please* post a correction!

I think that it's more than just Step-by-step and crossbar. I think
it's better summarized by thinking about what's connected to the copper
outside plant that xLECs can viably get rid of / stop maintaining. DSL
being one of the last bastions that depends on at least /some/ copper
last mile. Even that is being transitioned to fiber in many places.

TL;DR: My opinion is ... If it depends on copper last mile, it's
probably on the chopping block. It's only a matter of how long before
it gets chopped.



--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

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