Verizon is moving to shut off copper POTS lines across 18 states plus Washington, D.C., through two separate FCC filings. The first, covering nine states, was set to be approved automatically on September 26, but the FCC pulled it for additional review the day before. The second, covering nine more states plus D.C., is pending FCC approval with a planned shutoff on or after November 30. The FCC was clear that its review is not a final decision, so the time to plan is now, before a cutoff date is set.
This often gets treated as a back office telecom issue, but POTS lines are frequently the quiet backbone behind elevator emergency phones, fire alarm panels, security system backups, and fax lines many organizations forgot were even on copper.
Replacement is not a simple swap. Every line has different requirements for power during an outage, local code compliance, and ongoing management, especially across multiple locations. Before choosing a replacement, you need to know which lines are still active, which ones support life safety systems, and who is responsible for managing the transition across every site.
As an independent, vendor neutral advisory firm, CommteX Technology Advisors, LLC is not selling a single carrier’s hardware. We offer a cost free audit of your existing POTS line environment, so you get a clear picture of what you have, what it supports, and what your real replacement options are, before you have to make a decision.
If your organization still has POTS lines in service, especially any tied to elevators, alarms, or other life safety systems, now is the time to find out where you stand.
Contact CommteX Technology Advisors, LLC for your free POTS line audit.