Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a circuit-switched telephone network system that allows digital transmission of voice and data over ordinary copper wires. Unlike traditional analog lines, it provides better audio quality and simultaneous voice and data connections. It was widely used for business phone systems and early high-speed internet access before being largely replaced by DSL and broadband technologies.
We need to migrate the legacy PBX off the ISDN lines before the carrier shuts them down next quarter.
Carriers globally are actively decommissioning ISDN networks, making it a legacy technology that engineers are usually tasked with migrating away from.
Also heard as
- Integrated Services Digital Network
Do not mix it up with
- DSL: ISDN is a circuit-switched digital telephone standard, whereas DSL is a packet-switched technology providing higher-speed data over the same copper lines.
Related terms
DSL
A digital subscriber line is a technology that transmits high-bandwidth data over traditional copper telephone wires.
PSTN
The global infrastructure of circuit-switched telephone networks operated by national and regional carriers.
PRI
The primary rate interface is an enterprise telecommunications standard for carrying multiple voice and data channels.
PBX
A private telephone network used within a company or organization.
POTS
Plain old telephone service is the traditional analog voice transmission network using copper wires.