A straight forward Guide to relocating your Office Phone Lines & relocating your Business Phone Lines.

 
Telaustralia have put this guide to relocating your business phone lines and PABX system to help you to avoid any issues or down time with your phones. There are list of important questions that you will need to provide to ensure a smooth and non disruptive move of your telecommunications. Although we speak of relocating the phone lines the facts are the lines are not physically moved. New phone line/s are set up at the new premises and the old phone numbers are then switched over or diverted.

Of course nothing beats talking to an experienced expert so if you would like a free no obligation discussion please contact us with your details by clicking THIS LINK and we will call you ASAP.

Can I keep my current Business Pone Numbers?

You can keep your existing numbers if you are moving to a location serviced by the same telephone exchange. If you have an ISDN 100 Number Indial Range you can usually take those numbers to adjacent exchanges. If you cant keep your existing numbers you have the option of setting up a number redirection which is a permanent diversion of your old number/s to your new numbers. Alternately you can have a message set up providing details of your new numbers to anyone who calls your old number. Please note that just because you are moving down the road doesn't automatically mean you will be serviced by the same exchange. Please contact us with your new address to determine if you can retain your numbers.

How much lead time is required?

It is vital that you allow sufficient lead time when planning your business relocation to give your business phone company sufficient time to book the installation of your new phone lines or manage the relocation of your business phone lines. Relocation of a PSTN phone line is usually quite simple but an ISDN 2 order can take up to 4 weeks and an ISDN 10/20/30 order can take up to 10 weeks and sometimes more.

If you change your moving dates, the network provider will cancel your order and the lead time will start all over again. Changing the date of your relocation can cause delays with your phone lines as orders will be placed at the back of the order queue, essentially re starting the order process. It can be difficult juggling all the different time frames required but the most important requirement in managing this is lead time. As a rough guide the following time frames are required to relocate your business phone lines assuming no network upgrades are required ...

Product     Lead Time to Install
PSTN - Reconnection of In Place Line            2 - 7 Working Days
PSTN - New Line                                         3 - 10 Working Days
ISDN 2                                                      10 - 20 Working Days
ISDN 10/20/30 Telstra Network                   25 - 60 Working Days
ADSL 1 & 2                                                3 - 5 Working Days after PSTN is connected
SHDSL Business Grade internet                   15 - 20 Working Days
Hosted Voice Hosted PBX                            1 Day of ADSL/SHDSL active at new site
1300/1800 Inbound Number                       1 - 15 Working Days

One of the first lines that needs to be connected is a PSTN line for the ADSL service. Given it takes 3- 5 days to get ADSL working after the phone line has been connected, it makes sense to get the ADSL line in first, which will allow your IT staff to configure the service and have it up and running prior to your relocation. This may costs a bit more in line rental etc but is worth it opposed to operating your business without ADSL Internet.

Has your developer done all lead in work?

If you are moving into a new Industrial or commercial estate and your business will be one of the first business to move in, please be aware that a network cable upgrade is often required and this can often take many months. The cable upgrade is usually required where there is insufficient capacity in the main cable leading into or past the estate to carry the volume of phone lines anticipated for the new estate. Your developer should be talking to Telstra well in advance and advising them how many business's will be going into the new estate. It is not uncommon for cable upgrades to taken anywhere between 6 weeks and 6 months. Our experience has shown this to be a regular issue when connecting phone lines into new Industrial or Commercial estates.

Do I need to relocate all my existing services?

It is important that you provide us with accurate details of the services you want to relocate. Any changes or modifications to the order can delay the process so please ensure you get the details right from the outset.

Consider a plan for the following services:-

•    The main phone line and or any advertised phone numbers including customer service or accounts numbers
•    Your fax number
•    Any Direct In Dial numbers that have been advertised
•    Eftpos Numbers
•    Security & Alarm lines
•    ADSL lines

Where are you moving to?

Where you are moving to is clearly quite important and there are a range of factors that need to be considered. Most important is to supply your service provider with accurate site address details. If your address details are not accurate the network carrier may cancel your relocation order and put you to the back of the order queue, essentially restarting the order process.

Relocating within same exchange

If you are relocating within the same exchange area you may be able to keep your existing numbers. To ensure a seamless change over we usually arrange the new phone lines at your new site approx a week before you are due to move. Then on the day of your move, we arrange a number change on the new phone lines, switching your old numbers to your new site.

Relocating to a different exchange

You cannot keep your numbers if you move to an area serviced by a different exchange, although you are able to permanently divert your numbers to your new numbers. The only exception to this can be a ISDN 100 Number range which can sometimes be relocated to nearby exchanges.

If you cant keep your old numbers you can elect to do a 12 month diversion or divert the numbers month by month. If you have a 1300 or 1800 number the redirection of the service to the new site is simple and seamless.

Site Technical Inspection

Have you had a technical inspection done on the site ……. with a technician to ensure that all internal phone and data cabling is in place for your voice, data and print requirements? Telaustralia strongly recommend you do. If you haven’t yet, you will need to map out exactly what your requirements are and arrange a contractor to supply the required power, voice, data and print cabling. If cabling is not in place your service provider will be unable to deliver your services and you may be up for hefty charges and even worse … long delays when it is time to install your PABX phone System. You will need to allow for cabling to each desk, computer, printer, any servers you may be operating and to where your PABX Phone System will be located. If appropriate site cabling is not available your services will not be connected by the due date.

Other things to consider

Time and time again we come across business that have relocated without giving due consideration to their IT and Voice services. Short cuts are taken that lead to extensive costs and down time further down track It is strongly recommended you take time to sit down and plan your relocation with your PABX maintainer, IT staff/consultants and your Phone Company.

Which Day? Timing?

You should consider when is the best time for you to relocate. Which time of the day and day of the week or month are you best able to manage your workload and staffing levels to ensure the smoothest possible transition?

PBX Diversions

Depending on where you relocate to you may want to divert calls from your old numbers to your new numbers. There is a charge for diverted calls and a cost to “rent” the diversion on your old line. Prior to removing your PABX from your old premises it is very important for your PABX technician to set diversions to your new numbers. If this is not completed at this time an emergency diversion (fee for service diversion) will have to be set via the telephone exchange, which is significantly more expensive and can lead to a interruption to your service while it is being arranged.

PBX & PABX Phone System relocation

The relocation of your PBX Phone System is the job of your PABX Maintainer. However if you don't have a maintainer we can help you find one and assist with coordinating the move. If you are relocating an existing PABX Phone system this is where things can get tricky in juggling the period between when the system is removed from the old site and installed at the new site. If your system is large relocation can take several days from removal through to installation, jumpering of the new phone lines and configuration and in these cases it can be cheaper and less disruptive to consider a new PABX Phone System which can be installed without any disruption. NOTE: Your new phone lines need to be in place and active to relocate the PABX phone system and configure it. Even if you have a new phone system installed it is highly advisable to have your technician at hand during the first day of the move or to ensure that the system configuration and set up is correctly. If you have to re call your PABX maintainer back you may be up for hefty call out fees.

Relocating your ADSL & SHDSL Internet Services

Given the reliance that most business have on the Internet it is probably more important that you get your Internet relocation planning right over ad above everything else. Firstly get a PSTN line connected as early as possible and get the ADSL up and running well before its intended usage date. That leave sufficient time for your IT people to organise & redirect DNS servers, change systems that use a Static IP address, Back Up MX records and configure all necessary Network and Mail Exchange equipment prior to you moving in.

IT services

Your IT is separate to your voice services. Items such as Wireless networks, LANs, WANs PCs, fax machines, photocopiers, scanners and other electrical equipment and systems can be quite sensitive during as move so it is advisable to have your IT experts on hand to assist with set up and configuration of your business equipment and network requirements.