Introduction
POTS lines, or Plain Old Telephone Service, are the traditional landline telephone services used since the 19th century. It is the most basic form of telephone service that uses analog signals, which provides basic voice telephony and limited data services.
Rapidly Increasing Prices for POTS
The FCC order 19-72A1 (which requires that all POTS lines in the US be replaced with an alternative service by August 2, 2022) allows telephone carriers to no longer offered discounted rates for POTS lines and other copper services. Last year, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint announced plans to decommission 50% of its legacy copper network by 2025.
Reasons Why Telecom Companies are Decommissioning POTS Lines
There are several reasons why telecom companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint are sunsetting POTS lines.
- Copper infrastructure is aging and its too expensive to improve;
- Technicians with the necessary experience to support and maintain the lines have left the workplace.
- Replacement parts are prohibitively expensive and difficult to acquire;
- Carriers have shifted focus away from coper and invested in fiber networks, which offer faster speeds and additional services; and
- There are fewer customers using POTS services and it is no longer a revenue driver.
Many carriers are refusing to sign contracts, raising rates to astronomical levels, or ending service altogether
What do I Use POTS For?
POTS lines are mainly used in three categories: safety, security monitoring, and essential lines. Examples of safety lines are fire alarm panels, elevator phones, call boxes, etc. Security and monitoring lines include burglar alarms, access control systems and other telemetry services. The rest fall into the essential lines, like fax machines, point-of-sale machines, or other services that require a dedicated line.
So What Should You Do?
Controlling telecom costs now and preparing for the future can help eliminate the pain caused by POTS line pricing and keep your organization running efficiently.
- Review Your Monthly Bills – review your business phone bills each month. Don’t have time? No worries, Conquest Solutions can do it for you. We can evaluate your current needs and provide lower cost recommendations.
- Audit your Systems Currently Using POTS – What systems are essential for your business. No matter what you are using, now is the time to prepare and become aware of options and alternatives.
Conquest Solutions is your technology consultant specializing in cost reduction, technology review and recommendations. We will work with you to determine what you need and what the best options are for your business.
Get a FREE Technology/Telecom AUDIT by calling today 770-953-2500 or email us at [email protected].
