• BT Wholesale to support Internet services & communications provider IDNet ahead of the digital switchover
• Deal expands on 20-year partnership with IDNet and reinforces BT Wholesale’s support for the Channel in the switchover to all-IP by 2025

London, U.K. – 23 November 2020 – BT today announced it has been chosen by IDNet, a leading technology-driven Internet Services & Communications Provider, to migrate its entire phone network to an all-IP solution, in advance of the 2025 digital switchover. Over the five-year project, IDNet will transfer 4,000 lines to BT Wholesale’s Hosted Communications (WHC) service offering their customers a comprehensive Unified Communications solution to enhance remote and mobile working for the modern and distributed workforce. 

With more than 5,000 broadband connections across the country and direct peering into over 1,000 global networks, IDNet will manage migrating the connections over to the WHC service with bespoke licenses and targets to hit over the five-year project. The deal marks a further milestone in a relationship that spans more than 20 years. Together, BT Wholesale and IDNet also offer single line VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), showcasing BT Wholesale’s expansive all-IP portfolio and capabilities. 

BT’s WHC solution is an umbrella offering for Channel partners to create a hybrid estate using Hosted Centrex and SIP Trunking. The solution offers a complete Unified Communications capability including voice calling, instant messaging, audio conferencing, call analytics and advanced call control tools. With WHC, Channel partners can offer their customers a modern UC solution enabling businesses to transition from an on-site deployment to a cloud solution, replacing analogue systems. 

With the 2025 PSTN switch off looming, businesses are increasingly being encouraged to migrate to digital services and ensure they can improve and optimise modern ways of working ahead of the deadline. Yet according to recent BT research, just over 40 percent of businesses are currently using VoIP solutions, presenting an opportunity to accelerate all-IP adoption. The deal between BT Wholesale and IDNet aims to support businesses with this transition, as partners like IDNet can provide UK businesses with a WHC solution to ensure they are laying the strongest digital foundations after the switch off.

Gavin Jones, BT Wholesale Channel Sales Director, said: “This is an important signal to the industry that established and forward-focused communication providers like IDNet are selecting BT Wholesale to migrate their analogue telephone lines ahead of the closure of the current analogue PSTN network in 2025.”

“There is still some way to go before the nation is fully ready for the switch-off and the transition to all-IP, but capabilities like BT’s WHC service will enable our Channel partners to deliver a key IP solution to their customers to support their digital transformation journeys. We’re excited to extend our partnership with IDNet and look forward to working together to future-proof businesses with the best digital connectivity solutions.”

Steve Waters, Head of Business Development at IDNet, said: “We knew that we had to get ahead of the game and be ready for the switchover. Having worked with BT Wholesale previously, we knew the services and solutions offered would be best-suited for our products and customers. By acting quickly with BT Wholesale, we can ensure we stay one step ahead and prevent any base erosion to our business whilst providing new digital solutions.”

IDNet recently became the first Internet Service Provider in the UK to be awarded B-Corporation certification due to its commitment to making a positive impact on society and the environment through its operations.

About BT

BT Group is the UK’s leading telecommunications and network provider and a leading provider of global communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities in the UK include the provision of fixed voice, mobile, broadband and TV (including Sport) and a range of products and services over converged fixed and mobile networks to consumer, business, and public sector customers.

For its global customers, BT provides managed services, security and network and IT infrastructure services to support their operations all over the world. BT consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer, Enterprise, Global and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Openreach, which provides access network services to over 650 communications provider customers who sell phone, broadband and Ethernet services to homes and businesses across the UK.

For the year ended 31 March 2020, BT Group’s reported revenue was £22,905m with reported profit before taxation of £2,353m.

British Telecommunications plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.  BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/about

About IDNet 

Established in 1996, IDNet is a leading technology-driven Internet Services & Communications Provider (ISP/CP), delivering high performance data & telecoms solutions for a multitude of businesses, blue-chip corporations, and government agencies throughout the UK.