The public switched telephone network is still chugging along, but it clearly makes sense for everybody to jump aboard the IP train before the PSTN runs off the rails. That’s the message from Richard Shockey.

Shockey, who is head of Shockey Consulting, and chairman of the board at The SIP Forum (News - Alert), is speaking on today’s ITEXPO panel “Post POTS Net Neutrality & the Cloud: From POTS to PANS.” The panel also features Crossfire Media’s Carl Ford (News - Alert).

“A Ford Fairlane is a nice car, but I wouldn’t want to drive it to work every day,” Shockey tells TMCnet, drawing an analogy between vintage automobiles and the vintage network.

Some legacy PSTN gear, like Lucent 4ESSs, is so old that companies like AT&T, Verizon (News - Alert) and Windstream in recent comments to the FCC about phantom traffic mentioned that they no longer have staff that can service these devices. Not good.

In fact, that’s so not good, that could become “a public safety issue,” says Shockey, noting that a faulty switch could result in a person not being able to reach 911.

“So what happens when it blows up?” asks Shockey, who went on to say that 4ESS switches may be more useful at this point as repurposed wine racks than as telecom gear.

Clearly, something has to be done, he adds, the questions are when and who’s going to pay for it.

Although no one has yet set a date certain for decommissioning the PSTN, the Federal Communications Commission’s recent order on intercarrier compensation and Universal Service Fund reform – which sets an agenda to move funding away from the PSTN and toward broadband networks – is moving us in the right direction, Shockey indicates.

Another encouraging development is the fact that CRTC, Canada’s radio and television commission (which is akin to the FCC (News - Alert)), on Jan. 19 issued an order setting requirements for IP communications and interconnection. That bookends the FCC order very neatly, says Shockey.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening NOW in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

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