Add an extension. Change the after-hours message. Divert the phones for a bank holiday. On a traditional PBX phone system that has run quietly for years. But each of these means a call to an engineer and a wait for a free slot.
Everything works fine. The system still answers calls. So the question is fair: is it worth the upheaval of moving to a virtual PBX/cloud PBX in Ireland, or should you leave well alone?
The answer depends on three things: what the traditional PBX is costing you, what still depends on it, and what is changing around it. This guide helps you work that out, including the cases where keeping your PBX is the right call.
A quick note on terms. A cloud PBX runs your call handling on your provider's platform instead of a box in your office. Cloud PBX, hosted PBX, and virtual PBX usually describe the same thing, and Irish providers use the three terms interchangeably. A virtual number that only forwards calls is something different.
Key Takeaways:
The real cost of an old PBX is time, not money.
The bill looks fine, but every small change (new extension, holiday message) means waiting for an engineer. Workarounds like forwarding calls to mobiles or staff giving out personal numbers are hidden costs too. Simple test: count how many times you needed an engineer in the last 12 months. If that number keeps growing, your “working” system is ultimately costing you more.
The biggest risk in switching isn’t the phones.
Alarms, lift emergency lines, card machines and door entry systems often run on old phone lines. If you don’t list them before switching, they can stop working. Moreover, cloud phones also stop in a power cut, including emergency calls. You need battery backup on the router, the fibre box and the network switch, plus a charged mobile on site.
A “half-step” fix can trap you if it has no end date.
Keeping your old PBX and only swapping the lines (SIP trunks) fixes the line problem, not the system’s limits. It won’t help with remote work, multiple offices or slow changes. So, the smart move is to plan on your own schedule rather than wait for a fault to force a rushed switch.
Does a PBX that still works need replacing?
Not always, and not immediately. But a working PBX does not prove it suits the way your business runs today. You have three realistic routes:
Keep it. Sensible: while the box is healthy, your team works from one site, and changes are rare.
Bridge it. Keep the PBX and replace its ISDN lines with SIP trunks, which carry calls over the internet. This fixes the line, not the box.
Replace it. Move call handling to a hosted PBX and use desk phones, mobiles and laptops on one business number.
Each route fixes something and leaves something else untouched. The rest of this guide helps you see which problem you actually have.
What is changing around your PBX in Ireland?
The copper network that carries ISDN lines is being retired, but there is no single national date. ComReg’s Decision D09/23, published on 1 November 2023, governs an exchange-by-exchange switch-off. Timing depends on where you are.
Within those rules, eir, as the owner of the copper network, decides when each area is switched off. eir has said customers will get at least 12 to 18 months’ notice before any change in their area. So this is not something that happens overnight, but it is coming.
They do not apply in the Republic. What matters is your exchange area. Ask your provider three questions:
Has a switch-off been announced for my exchange area, and when?
Will replacement lines stay available if one of mine fails before then?
What will you offer to replace my current lines when the time comes?
Notice periods give you time to plan. A move on your own timetable is calmer than one forced by a fault.
What is a working PBX really costing you?
This involves more than just the amount shown on the bill; it primarily concerns time and dependency. The simplest way to see it is the engineer call-out test.
Count the changes made to your phone system in the last 12 months that needed an engineer. For each one, note what you asked for, how long you waited, and what it cost. Then add the maintenance contract, the line rental for each channel, and any workaround, such as forwarding calls to mobiles when staff work from home.
Now look for these signs:
A capacity ceiling. Adding users may mean new cards or extra hardware.
Slow changes. A simple edit waits on someone's diary.
Site limits. A second office often means a second system or a complicated link between the two.
Remote gaps. Staff away from the office miss calls or give out personal numbers.
Ageing parts. Older hardware gets harder to repair or replace.
You do not need to price this to the euro. Put your last few bills beside the list. A cloud PBX is usually charged per user each month, so cost follows your headcount, not your hardware. If the total of money, waiting, and workarounds keeps rising, your PBX is no longer standing still.
When does keeping your traditional PBX make sense?
Keep it when the box is healthy, your broadband is poor, or something critical still depends on a copper line. Moving too early in those cases creates more risk than it removes.
Staying put is reasonable when:
Your broadband is unreliable at your location and cannot be improved.
Alarms, lift lines, card terminals or door entry still run on your phone lines and have not been moved.
You made a significant investment recently, and the system has years of life left.
You want to move in stages, one team or site at a time.
SIP trunks can be a sensible bridge. You keep the PBX and replace the ISDN lines with internet-based ones.
First, check that your PBX supports SIP, either directly or through a gateway. A bridge does not fix remote working, multi-site calling, or engineer-led changes, so give it an end date. If keeping your PBX is the right answer for now, we will tell you so. A move that is not ready helps nobody.
What can a cloud PBX do that your traditional PBX cannot?
It removes the limits that come from a traditional PBX in one building. Calls follow your people, changes happen in a portal, and extra sites join the same system.
The differences that matter to a business with an existing PBX:
One business number on every device. Staff use desk phones, mobiles, and laptops with softphone apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac.
Changes without an engineer visit. Add or remove users from an online admin portal.
Several offices on one system. Shared extensions and a central dashboard replace separate setups at each site.
Call data you can use. Missed calls, peak times and queue performance become visible, with call recording and reporting available.
Connections to the tools you already use. Microsoft Teams Direct Routing, plus CRM integrations such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics and Zoho.
What could go wrong, and how do you plan for it?
Nobody wants to be the person who took down the phones. Three things cause most go-live problems: items nobody remembered were on the phone line, broadband or power failing, and a rushed number port. All three can be planned for before the day.
Here are some other points that you should consider:
Hidden dependents. Walk the premises and list everything connected to a phone line: intruder and fire alarms, lift emergency lines, card payment terminals, door entry systems, and any fax line. Some can be moved or upgraded. Some need a specialist. All are easier to handle as a checklist at the start.
Broadband and power. Cloud calls need both. Set up diversion rules so calls ring mobiles if your connection drops. Put a small battery backup (UPS) on your router, your fibre box (ONT) and any network switch that powers your desk phones. Without all three, the phones go down even if the router stays on.
Emergency calls. Every phone provider in Ireland must give free access to 112 and 999. But phone services that run over broadband or fibre need mains power to work. In a power cut, your router, fibre box and desk phones switch off, and so do your phone calls, including calls to the emergency services. Keep a charged mobile phone on site as a backup, and ask your provider how emergency calls and caller location work on their service.
Number porting. Under Irish rules, once the port is agreed, your number should move within one working day. Allow a little extra time beforehand for paperwork and checks, especially if you’re moving a block of numbers.
How do you move without losing what your old PBX does?
List what the old system does before you choose what replaces it. A move goes wrong when a feature nobody remembered is missing.
Write down what is in real use. Menus, ring groups, after-hours routing, voicemail, speed dials, and anything tied to paging or door entry. Ask reception what callers actually experience.
Check your handsets. SIP-compatible phones can often be reused. Handsets built only for your old PBX usually cannot. Pulse supplies pre-configured Yealink desk phones from entry-level to executive models, plus DECT and Wi-Fi handsets, conference phones and headsets. Staff can also start on softphone apps and add desk phones later.
Check your network. A common rule of thumb is about 100 Kbps for each simultaneous call; upload speed matters too. A network check shows whether your connection and internal network can carry calls cleanly.
Port your numbers. Keep the divert in place until the move completes. Move in stages if it suits you. Pilot with one team or site, then move the rest. Ask how calls between the old and new systems will work during the overlap.
Test before go-live. Make internal, external, and after-hours test calls. Keep the old PBX as a fallback until you are happy.
At Pulse Telecom, we configure your call flows, so your team is not left building menus from scratch. If something needs adjusting afterwards, speak to our Ireland-based support team.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Often, yes. SIP trunks connect an on-site PBX to the telephone network over the internet instead of through ISDN lines. The catch is the PBX itself. Some models support SIP directly, others need a gateway, and very old units may not work at all. Treat it as a bridge and ask your installer to confirm compatibility before you commit.
It depends on the handset. Phones that use the standard SIP protocol can often be checked and reused. Handsets built to work only with your old PBX usually cannot.
Most of it can be rebuilt: auto attendant menus, ring groups, call queues, after-hours routing and voicemail to email. We at Pulse Telecom configure the call flows for you. Before the move, list what staff and callers actually rely on.
Yes. A phased move suits businesses with different contract dates or equipment across sites. Start with one team, learn from it, and then move to the rest. Ask how calls between the old and new systems will work during the overlap, because extension dialling across two systems can need extra setup.
No, there is no single date announced. ComReg's framework (Decision D09/23) sets out an exchange-by-exchange process for switching off the copper network, so timing depends on your area and the network operator's plans.