The Mother Tongue September 2025
From Jaguar Land Rover’s global cyberattack to Starlink Connectivity, plus updates on our own performance, onboarding, and support improvements, this
Mitel’s acquisition of Unify
Since Mitel acquired Unify over a year ago, there’s been a lot happening behind the scenes. As with any large acquisition, it’s not just about two companies flying the same flag, it’s about merging the technology strengths of both organisations into a product portfolio that outshines the rest.
You’ll have noticed familiar products being renamed and rebranded. We’re seeing new product launches, new functionality in existing products along with a very exciting roadmap.
With Mitel being a key technology partner at Mother, it’s having a direct and exciting impact on our telecoms portfolio that’s backed by the #1 Unified Communications vendor in Western Europe.
The PSTN Switch Off: Is it still happening?
It can feel like we’ve been talking about the PSTN switch-off forever. Each time it comes up, the same questions follow. Has it been delayed? Is it still happening? And what does it actually mean for your business?
Deadlines have shifted, announcements have changed, and messaging hasn’t always been clear. It’s no surprise that many organisations are unsure whether the switch-off is still something they need to think about.
The short answer is yes. The switch-off is still happening on the 31st of January 2027. Traditional phone lines are being phased out and will be replaced by modern VoIP systems. However, the way it’s being managed has changed.
As the original deadline approached, it became clear that not everyone was ready. Many organisations still rely on older phone lines for important services, and moving too quickly risked disruption. Rather than forcing a rushed change, the industry allowed more time so businesses could prepare properly.
For businesses, now is the right time to understand what systems you’re using and how they fit into wider changes. Leaving it too late can turn a simple change into unnecessary stress. The good news is there’s no need to panic or make quick decisions with a bit of planning, the move away from PSTN can be a manageable one.
A rant from our Managing Director
I can’t stand not being able to speak to people. I get infuriated with automated attendants that ask me why I’m calling today. “About an invoice?”, “No!”, I scream for the umpteenth time. “I’m sorry. Please tell me why you’re calling today?”.
And Chatbots… My God! What chatbot exemplifies customer service? They are horrendous! If an organisation’s website hides its telephone number and presents me with chatbots and nothing but contact forms, I know I should be looking elsewhere. I already know they’re under-resourced and can’t begin to tickle the gauge of customer service when I need it.
An outsourced call centre reading from a script? Well… let’s just hang up before the ordeal begins.’
And, of course, after half an hour on hold … “Your call is important to us”. Pff!
If you ever call Mother and can’t get through, I want to know about it. We’re a customer focused organisation and we answer when our customers call. You can’t provide good customer service without dialogue. Dialogue is a two-way communication blessed with tone that generates immediate understanding with the ability to correct and elaborate in a very short space of time. Why would you spend days messaging back and forth when you can wrap things up far more succinctly in a 2-minute phone call?
Technology is fantastic when used for what it was intended. Give colleagues Unify Phone to make them reachable when they’re away from their desks. Connect MS Teams to your phone system with Direct Call Routing if that’s your preference. Use voicemail as a last resort – don’t front your business with it. Whatever you do, use technology to enhance your business. Don’t destroy it by giving staff something to hide behind. We need to talk.
Glad I’ve got that off my chest.
-Steve Redhead, Managing Director, Mother
One-size fits all?
All-In-One communication solutions are convenient, quick to install and easy to self-administer. Mother provides the 3CX, which is a fine example. You get a lot of bang for your buck with a 3CX.
We have many 3CX installations in the field that work well for our customers. We have others where the growing needs of the customer breach the boundaries of what can be achieved. What works for one, doesn’t necessarily work for all.
Take box hair dye. “Where is she going with this?”, you might ask. A strange analogy perhaps, but all the girls out there will know what I’m talking about. The photo on the package looks great, but everyone’s starting point is different. Hair colour, condition, and texture all vary, so the chances of it turning out exactly like the picture are slim. Sometimes it’s fine. Other times, it’s a complete disaster.
Communication solutions can be the same. A one-size-fits-all proposition might work well for one organisation and terribly for another.
With all the communication channels available in today’s hi-tech world, organisations are all working differently. Some place high value on telephony and analyse stats to maximise their customer service. Others rely on email and messaging with little or no focus on voice. Of course, an organisation’s priorities change over time, and when a system doesn’t cater for that, they find they’re stuck within the confines of what their system can do. They reach for bolt-ons and the landscape becomes problematic and messy.
Liberty is built differently. Instead of shoe-horning organisations into a predefined box, Liberty is designed to be shaped around an organisation. It is highly customisable, avoiding the headaches that arise from systems that shine on paper, but are inflexible and fall short in practice.
– Kayleigh Spence, Marketing Manager, Mother
Liberty: Our Fully Customisable Cloud Communications Platform
If you’ve been with Mother for a while, the Liberty brand will be familiar to you. It’s our cloud communications platform that’s built modularly with best-in-class manufacturers to provide a telecoms platform that we can tailor to how your organisation works today, with the flexibility to cater for how it might work tomorrow.
Liberty was designed by Mother, with one clear goal; to overcome one-size fits-all by creating a platform that can be engineered from the smallest and simplest of installations to those that place maximum demand on voice. It’s built with the technology partners we trust and have worked closely with for many years.
At the heart of the Liberty Platform is Mitel, a telecom giant that supports business communications for millions of users worldwide.
Modular integrations enable call recording to be configured for any business scenario, including cradle-to-grave recording, PCI-DSS compliance, and voice fingerprinting for dispute resolution.
Applications such as contact centre solutions, Direct Call Routing for Microsoft Teams, real-time wallboards, dashboards, and cradle-to-grave reporting are all available as opt-in, modular features.
Liberty is about scale and flexibility. It delivers limitless options for organisations who prioritise and heavily depend on voice communications.
Multiple vendors unite on a single platform that can be shaped around how your organisation works.
Liberty Analytics: make sense of what’s really happening
When your teams rely on phone calls and conversations to get work done, it’s not always easy to see how things are really going. You might sense when things are busy or under pressure, but without clear visibility it’s hard to know where small changes could make a big difference.
That’s where Liberty Analytics comes in. It brings together reporting, wallboards, dashboard and call recording to help you build a clearer picture of how your communications are working, both in the moment and over time.
Liberty Analytics: Active Dashboards
Active Dashboard was developed in response to an existing customer who utilises Liberty Analytics extensively and whose voice communications are at the top of its business priorities.
The customer has many sites across Scotland and each branch receives automated call statistic reports on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
The Group IT Manager asked Mother if he could have call analytics in the form of a site-wide lost-call journal that could run on tablets at every branch. “We don’t want to wait for a report that tells us what happened”, he said. “We want a dashboard that tells us what’s happening now, so we can react immediately and reach out to the caller.”
Wallboards already provide the organisation with real-time headline stats, but they wanted more detailed actionable insights.
We can do practically anything with Liberty, so we developed, and delivered it.
Launched in January 2026, Active Dashboard delivers headline and actionable insights on dashboards. The dashboard is a secure, web-based application that runs on desktops, laptops or even tablets in kiosk mode. The dashboard is active, meaning missed calls are automatically removed from the dashboard when they’ve been resolved. This allows staff to pursue excellent customer service and 0% lost call targets which will be evidenced on the organisation’s reports.
Active Dashboard extends Liberty’s real-time analytics capabilities, enabling faster responses, improved customer experience, and greater operational visibility where it matters most. It is a prime example of the flexibility and deliverables that Liberty gives us. Most importantly, we were able to give the customer what they wanted!
Liberty Analytics: Reporting
Reporting in Liberty Analytics is being revamped in 2026.
The automated delivery of reporting is well received but self-service is not. We acknowledge that.
Our Client Portal roadmap awaits the migration of Ticketing into our ERP system. This was postponed last year as you know. Once it’s migrated, we will be moving Liberty Analytics Reporting to the portal. This is not restricted to Liberty Analytics. Reporting for all Service Lines (IT, Telecom & Connectivity) will be delivered through the Client Portal.
Endpoints: More Choice & Flexibility
The endpoints people use, including phones, apps, and other device types, have a real impact on how work gets done. When endpoints don’t match how teams work, calls get missed, things slow down, and communication becomes harder than it needs to be.
Liberty is designed to remove those barriers by supporting every type of endpoint your organisation needs, from physical devices, software apps, and call handling tools. This flexibility means people can communicate effectively whether they’re at a desk, moving around the workplace, working remotely, or sharing spaces with others.
Alongside an extensive range of desk phones, cordless and conference devices, Liberty supports app-based endpoints such as Unify Phone and Microsoft Teams, allowing users to stay reachable on their office number wherever they are. Additionally, tools like My Attendant ensure calls are answered and routed correctly, even when teams are busy or unavailable, helping to protect customer experience and reduce missed opportunities.
The result is simpler call handling, fewer missed calls, and communication that fits naturally into everyday work.
New Engineers
Meet Kamil
Firstly, we have Kamil, he joined us back in November! With over four years of hands-on experience in IT, Kamil brings valuable technical knowledge and a strong desire to expand his skills in a managed service provider (MSP) environment.
Before joining Mother, Kamil worked in in-house IT support roles, where he developed a solid foundation in troubleshooting, system maintenance, and customer service. Now, he’s embracing the challenge of working with a diverse range of clients and technologies.
Reflecting on his experience so far, Kamil shared: “It’s been really good so far. My previous roles were in-house IT support, so working for an MSP is new and challenging – but I’m really enjoying it! I’m learning something different every day, and it’s helping me grow professionally.”
Kamil is eager to take his career to the next level and eventually progress into a senior engineering role. He’s especially excited about the opportunities for personal development and learning at Mother Technologies.
Meet Thomas
Thomas joined us a few weeks ago as part of his year-long placement from Edinburgh Napier University.
Originally from Kent, Thomas moved to Scotland three years ago to study Cyber Security and Forensics at Edinburgh Napier University. Alongside his studies, he’s also on the committee of the university’s surf club.
Outside of tech, Thomas is an avid cyclist with a real passion for the outdoors and environmental causes. Last year, he took on an impressive challenge, cycling 1,000 miles in 18 days around the entire coast of Scotland in support of ocean conservation.
Speaking about his placement, Thomas shared how grateful he is for the opportunity to learn at Mother and is really looking forward to gaining hands-on experience over the year ahead. He’s excited to build his skills, learn from the team, and see where the placement takes him.
Meet Jose
Jose recently joined Mother as a Systems Engineer, completing a year-long industrial placement as part of his Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics degree at Edinburgh Napier University.
Through the placement so far, he’s been able to apply the theory from his studies in a real MSP environment, gaining hands-on experience supporting live systems and customers. He’s particularly enjoyed the collaborative office environment and the support from the team, which has helped him develop stronger communication skills and a more structured approach to problem-solving.
In his role, Jose is building experience across a range of day-to-day tools, including Microsoft 365, SharePoint user and permission management, and exposure to cloud and server environments. He’s also had opportunities to visit customer sites, helping build confidence and reinforcing the importance of professionalism.
He’s also had opportunities to visit customer sites, helping build confidence and reinforcing the importance of professionalism.
Outside of work, Jose enjoys staying active through cycling, running, and roller skating, helping him maintain a healthy balance alongside his studies. He chose to join Mother because of its experienced team and strong reputation as an MSP, and is excited to continue learning and developing both technically and professionally over the year ahead.
We wish all three of our new engineers the very best during their time at Mother and can’t wait to see how they grow along the way.
We have been shortlisted for two categories at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
We’re really pleased to share that Mother has been shortlisted in not one, but two categories at this year’s Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.
We’re up for Mid-Sized Business of the Year, which recognises strong performance, growth, and how organisations support their people, as well as Service Excellence, celebrating businesses that consistently deliver great service and positive customer experiences. Being recognised in both categories feels like a fantastic way to kick off the year.
Having been a member of the Edinburgh Chamber for years, this recognition means a lot to us. A huge thank you to our customers for continuing to work with and support us, and to the entire Mother team for everything they do day to day.
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