Jane Edwards
Don Parente, vice president of public sector sales and solution architecture at MetTel, said the looming retirement of copper telephone lines calls for government agencies to take a proactive approach by conducting an assessment and audit of plain old telephone services and related systems and exploring the shift to a digital communications network.
“An audit identifies all communication needs, both internal and external, to determine which services are critical and cannot be disrupted during a transition,” Parente wrote in an article published Tuesday in Nextgov/FCW.
To establish a more streamlined digital network, he recommended that agencies find a platform that would enable them to meet their requirements and support wireless, Wi-Fi and other lines.
“You also need to ensure you have multi-carrier access with dual SIM capability, business continuity even during outages, and the prequalification of LTE coverage in your area. Another key component is battery backup,” Parente said.
The MetTel executive said agencies should develop a phased transition plan with redundancy and backup after conducting the audit.
“The next step is ensuring the process is in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. This is especially important for fire compliance. Additional steps include rigorous pilot testing, training and education, and having a plan in place for ongoing management of the network,” Parente stated.
