Telecom carriers are in the process of phasing out plain old telephone service (POTS) lines. However, millions of POTS lines are still in use in organizations throughout the U.S.
“But we migrated to a Voice over IP phone system years ago,” business leaders say. Voice telephony generally isn’t the problem. Most POTS lines are used for monitoring and signaling devices such as fire alarms, security systems and elevators. Without a well-thought-out plan, organizations will face major headaches and potential code violations when their carrier sunsets POTS.
Why Are POTS Lines Being Phased Out?
It’s simple economics. The rise of VoIP and wireless services has reduced demand for POTS lines dramatically. It doesn’t make economic sense for telecom carriers to maintain aging, complex infrastructure for fewer customers. According to the FCC, the number of POTS lines declined 66 percent over the previous decade, from 122 million in 2010 to 41 million in 2019.
The FCC permitted incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) to phase out POTS lines with its Order 15-97, known as Technology Transitions. FCC Order 19-72 accelerated the process, eliminating the requirement that ILECs offer competitors “analog voice-grade copper loops” on an unbundled basis and legacy services for resale at regulated rates.
Other Reasons to Move Away from POTS Lines
Telecom carriers have already been encouraging organizations to move away from POTS lines by raising rates. According to the Bureau of Labor, rates for POTS lines increased 36 percent from 2010 to 2021. POTS lines can cost organizations hundreds of dollars a month.
Business continuity is another reason for eliminating POTS lines. Aging copper infrastructure is prone to disruption due to weather events, moisture and a host of other causes. Copper is expensive, and thieves have been known to steal copper lines. Because it’s difficult to monitor analog infrastructure, it can take time for a carrier to become aware that a line is damaged.
The main drawback of POTS lines is that they have limited ability to support multichannel communications. Digital technologies are much more flexible and efficient.
How Should Organizations Prepare for POTS Sunset?
As a first step, organizations should conduct a full audit of their POTS infrastructure across all locations. Fire alarms and security systems are an obvious place to start, but organizations may have POTS lines for VoIP backup and other use cases. Organizations should take a telecom inventory management approach, creating a detailed list of hardware, telecom vendors, locations and other details.
Next, organizations should determine when their POTS lines are going away. This will likely vary from carrier to carrier and even location to location. Armed with this information, organizations can develop a plan for transitioning from POTS lines, taking into account lead times for new equipment and scheduling services. The key is to ensure that critical services aren’t disrupted.
What Technologies Can Be Used to Replace POTS Lines?
It’s not as simple as plugging your fire alarm into your VoIP phone system. Most fire alarm systems have a panel with two POTS lines (as required by code) that send signals to an approved monitoring center when heat, smoke or carbon monoxide are detected. These signals use a specialized form of data transmission to send complicated information. VoIP systems are unable to transmit this information in a way the monitoring center understands.
There are several options available. One solution is to replace the fire alarm or security system panel with a modern solution that connects to the data network. There are also POTS-in-a-box solutions that connect legacy analog devices to the LAN. The key is to evaluate all the options and determine which makes the most sense in light of your existing IT infrastructure. It’s also important to consider local ordinances and fire codes to ensure that you remain in compliance.
How Verteks Can Help
The networking experts at Verteks can help you with this evaluation and ensure that your network is ready to support your analog system upgrades. Let’s set a time to map out a strategy for POTS line transition.
