What is 21CN?

What is 21CN?

21CN is the new 'next generation network' (NGN) being put in place by BT. The main aim of the scheme is to bring UK telecommunications forward to the digital age, much like the digital TV switch over, without greatly disrupting the services of those with regular analogue lines.

This means that BT, essentially, intend to combine the two mediums (analogue and digital) of telephony together, thus providing a better all round service. 

This will be achieved through the merger of copper and fibre-optic cables at the local exchange and, as a result, will give businesses access to:

• Faster Internet
• Reduced Call Charges
• Faster Data Transfer
• Video Conferencing

Also, the digital service will allow users to take their current number with them, wherever they go, as numbers will no longer be constrained to the local exchange.

As of yet, it is unknown when the effects of 21CN will begin to take place but BT have estimated that the project will be complete by 2011, so the change over is fast approaching...

How will 21CN affect your existing business telecoms and internet services?

Put simply, 21CN will have no immediate effect to end users. 21CN focuses on the core of BT's network - it makes no changes to your phone line, so there should be no change in the functionality of your equipment, i.e. phone, modem, router, wireless equipment etc.

There may be some short term effects to services that are being put on to the 21CN network, i.e. phone systems, broadband connections and ISDN lines, which will experience outages for a few minutes on the night of the change over. Apart from this, your services should remain no different from how they are at present.

Services that are remaining independent of the 21CN network, i.e. SDSL, DataStream broadband services, etc will be unaffected by the change.

To find out the changes and  benefits that 21CN will bring to your business telecoms, contact 5G today...