BT has urged public sector organisations using its old Analogue, Kilostream and Featurenet private circuit and fixed line telephony products to prepare for their switch-off at the end of March.
It said that they need to replace these, which are used for telephony and low speed data traffic, with digital services.
The company said it is withdrawing the legacy products because they are supported by network platforms which have reached the end of their useful life, are too costly to run and because its network suppliers no longer produce the replacement equipment needed.
A spokesperson told UKAuthority that public sector organisations comprise about a third of the remaining customers for the services. There are about 900 customer accounts with 9,000 circuits for Analogue and Kilostream, and approximately 135 customers with less than 60,000 lines for Featurenet.
Clive Quantrill, BT’s enterprise migrations director, said: “Technology has shifted away from traditional telephone and data networking services delivered over copper networks, in favour of faster, more reliable fibre networks and digital IP services.
“Whilst the majority of our public sector customers have already migrated across to these new services in advance of our legacy products being switched off, a significant number have yet to take any action.
“Time is running out and as it can take time to select, test and implement replacement products, we’re urging any public sector organisation who has yet to migrate away from these legacy products to contact their BT account manager now so that we can support them in managing this critical change and ensure continuity of service.”
Emergency provision
The company added that it will work on a case by case basis with any public sector customers who support the UK’s critical national infrastructure if they cannot migrate to IP based services by the end of March. They can register for its Emergency Overrun Service to maintain Analogue and Kilostream private circuits for a limited time.
It also pointed to its plans to base all of its services on internet protocol technology by 2025.
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