Telstra’s Fixed Line Terminology Explained

With our ever changing world, there are terms thrown around that not everyone understands. PSTN, ISDN, NBN, FTTP, FTTN and so on. This blog will help explain some of these terms and debunk the confusion associated with them. 

Phone lines have grown and changed with technology as the years have gone past. But they are still fundamentally the same as the old manned switchboards of the past, now the technology does the switching. Bringing us to the first acronym.

PSTN

Or Public Switched Telephone Network are the basic everyday phone lines we all use at home. They connect us to ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) services and our families across the world. Commonly referred to as analogue lines they are the most basic iteration of phone lines we use. 

ISDN 

Or Integrated Services Digital Network are also known as digital lines or BRI (basic rate) and was the next step of internet after dial-up. They are normally supplied as BRI2 which are 2 lines connected through a white box referred to as an NT1 (Network Termination Type 1) it supplies 2 phone lines over a single copper pair where the basic analogue phone line only gives 1. ISDN also comes in other derivations as well, and has other features like DID (direct in dial) or 100 Number In dial – giving customers a series of 100 numbers.

NBN

National Broadband Network (NBN) is the Network the Australian government is financing, initially as FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) however is now being rolled out as FTTN (Fibre to the Node) as a cost saving measure. The core difference between these services is the fibre optics used on NBN are no longer run into the house but to a centralised point, then delivered into homes via existing copper cabling. Speeds are still fundamentally the same but these services are now connected as VDSL (Very high bitrate digital subscriber line) instead of Fibre. Phone lines on NBN are supplied as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol).

 

With NBN rolling out at a rapid rate across the country there has never been a better time to submit an Expression of Interest. One of our team will be in touch to let you know if NBN is available to you. Plus, you will go in our monthly draw to win a $350 visa card.

PSTN lines are quite often used as Outgoing Call Lines as most carriers have Unlimited Calling Plans on these lines.

ISDN lines are quite often used as incoming lines due to the ability to specifically program them for different functions

SIP & VOIP lines are internet based lines and are an emerging technology that may just give us the best of both worlds.

All in all, it comes down to all lines serve the same purpose for you and your business – they keep you connected with customers and suppliers.  Like cars, there are a lot of different makes, models, engines, fuels etc, and we may not understand those differences, but they keep you in touch with your customers friends and family.

So let us do what we do best and take the hard work out of the lines, so you can do what you do best and focus your time and energy on making your business a success. Need more help understanding different technology? Give our Techwell team us a call on 1300 369 662.