The North East BIC is expanding its state-of the-art telecoms service to support more regional businesses ahead of the forthcoming nationwide digital switchover.
The traditional copper analogue network, which has delivered phone calls for decades, is due to be switched off by BT Openreach on 31 January 2027 – affecting as many as seven million lines and channels across the UK.
All companies with a traditional landline will need to move to a digital IP-based service before then. The BIC is now offering regional businesses a new solution by extending the telecoms service it has been offering to tenants for over 30 years to businesses off-site too.
Hundreds of companies at the BIC’s business centres in Sunderland, Washington and Darlington already use its sophisticated yet cost-effective cloud-based telephony. Now it aims to reach many more with services driven by purpose, not profit.
“The digital switchover offers businesses an opportunity to review their telecoms and shake things up with huge savings,” said Paul McEldon, Chief Executive at the BIC. “We’re aiming to provide a refreshing alternative with services that are designed to be fair, flexible and supportive of their goals.
“Unlike other telecoms providers, we’re a social enterprise whose ultimate aim is to help local businesses to thrive. Everything we do is designed around their needs, and we’ve no contracts, no installation costs, no maintenance costs and no hidden fees.
“We’ve connected thousands of businesses over our 30 years of providing an effective service to tenants and we’re excited to connect many more by launching this offer offsite too.”
Hospitality business Pub Culture, which operates two pubs and a restaurant as well as Sunderland’s live performance venue The Fire Station, was among BIC Telecom’s first external customers to sign up to a trial of the service – signing up for telephony, internet and network support.
Technical and Building Manager Daniel Shilling said: “Telecoms are crucial for our operations. They keep our box office team connected for ticket sales and handling general enquiries, while also supporting our office staff in day-to-day activities.
“I decided to switch from our previous provider to BIC Telecom because they offer reasonable pricing without compromising on excellent customer service.
“The difference is clear – our bills have been reduced by a good amount. The team is honest about what we need and works with us to find solutions that fit our budget. They are friendly, responsive, and a pleasure to work with.”
The BIC has invested heavily in state-of-the-art telecoms infrastructure to bring businesses the full power of cloud-based services without the cost.
Enterprise-level call features including call recording, remote working, music on hold and voicemail to email are all offered and users report a typical saving of 40% on monthly bills when they switch to the BIC.
And despite the rapid evolution of communications in recent years, telephone conversations still play a crucial role in business operations.
Colin Turnbull IT and Finance Manager at the BIC said: “Digital chat, video and email has opened up new ways of doing business, but the humble telephone conversation still provides the backbone for many business communications.
“The telephone is the natural choice in many situations and will continue to be far into the future. And in an age of sophisticated telephone fraud and remote working, a landline, local area code number and functions such as caller ID help build customer trust.”
