Carriers can provide as little as 90 days notice. Treat this as a planning deadline, not a guarantee.
After over a century of service, the traditional copper phone network is being permanently dismantled. Multiple forces are converging to accelerate this transition faster than anyone anticipated.
The FCC’s 2019 Order 19-72 removed carrier obligations to maintain copper networks. In March 2025, they further cut required notice periods from 180 days to just 90 days before disconnection.
POTS line costs have increased over 30% annually since 2019. Some businesses now pay $2,700+ per line per month. Carriers are deliberately pricing remaining customers off copper.
AT&T spends $6 billion annually maintaining copper for only 3-5% of customers. All major carriers are investing in fiber and wireless—copper is no longer a strategic asset.
With no new investment, copper networks are failing more frequently. Skilled technicians are retiring, parts are scarce, and repair times are increasing dramatically.
This isn’t a distant scenario—it’s actively underway.
Here’s what’s happening and what’s coming.
AT&T suspended ALL moves/adds/changes 18+ states and over 2,000 wire centers. Lumen issued orders-frozen notice across 14 states. More notices filed in Q1 2025 than all of 2024.
June 2026: AT&T begins shutting down ~500 wire centers (10% of footprint). November 2026 AT&T shutting down ~1,100 more.Forced migrations begin for ~90,000 customers across 18 states. Increased retirements across all carriers.
AT&T goal: No copper customers in many rural/wireless-first areas. Verizon fiber transition largely complete. 80-90% of remaining lines expected migrated or disconnected nationwide.
Target for near-total copper/POTS retirement nationwide. AT&T hard stop by end of 2029 (excluding California). Traditional PSTN effectively shut down for all practical purposes.
Purpose-built POTS replacement solutions that maintain compliance, improve reliability, and reduce costs. Turnkey installation with 24/7/365 managed support.
The industry's leading solution for mission-critical applications. SafeLine Alert+ provides compliant, reliable connectivity for fire alarms, elevators, security systems, and specialty lines—with built-in redundancy and battery backup.
The only POTS replacement certified by both California Fire Marshal and FDNY—the two most stringent certifying bodies in the country.
Fast, easy conversion using your existing broadband connection. SafeLine LINC delivers VoIP calls over a managed IP voice network through Lingo's cable partners—Spectrum, Comcast, and Cox.
The fastest path to POTS replacement—use your current broadband connection for immediate cost savings and service stability.
Replace voice and fax-based POTS services with a full-featured cloud phone system. Bring together voice, video, fax, chat, and collaboration on any device, anywhere.
Modern communications for in-office, remote, hybrid, and mobile teams. One system, any device, everywhere.
With over two decades of experience and 120,000+ satisfied customers, Lingo delivers proven POTS replacement at enterprise scale.
The only POTS replacement certified by both California Fire Marshal and FDNY. Built to NFPA 72, UL-864, ASME A17.1, PCI, and HIPAA standards.
Dual-SIM LTE failover, up to 24-hour battery backup, and multi-path routing ensure your critical systems stay connected when it matters most.
Intuitive web portal with single login to manage all locations and devices. Real-time SMS and email alerts if any issues occur.
Complete program management including site surveys, professional installation, and ongoing support. We handle everything so you don't have to.
Fixed monthly rates with no hidden fees. Organizations typically save 40-60% compared to today's inflated POTS line costs.
US-based support available around the clock. Our NPS scores consistently rank above the 95th percentile in the telecom industry.
SafeLine solutions meet all federal, state, and local requirements for fire, life safety, and specialty line applications.
NFPA 72
Fire Alarm Code
UL-864
Fire Alarm Equipment
CA Fire Marshal
State Approved
FDNY
NYC Certified
HIPAA
Healthcare Compliant
PCI DSS
Payment Security
FCC
Registered
Everything you need to know about transitioning from legacy copper lines to modern POTS replacement.
If you have any analog phone lines—for fire alarms, elevators, security systems, fax machines, POS terminals, or voice—you are affected. Major carriers are actively retiring copper networks, and you could receive a disconnection notice with as little as 90 days warning. We recommend conducting an inventory of all your analog lines now and planning your migration before carrier deadlines force your hand.
You face multiple risks: service disruption (potentially with little warning), rapidly escalating costs (some lines now exceed $2,700/month), compliance violations (fire codes require working alarm lines), and safety risks if critical systems like elevator phones or fire panels go offline. Waiting until you receive a disconnection notice leaves very little time to plan an orderly transition.
Yes. SafeLine Alert+ is fully compliant with NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code), UL-864 (Standard for Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems), and ASME A17.1 (elevator requirements). We are the only POTS replacement certified by both the California State Fire Marshal and FDNY—the two most stringent certifying bodies in the country.
Typical installation takes 2–4 weeks from contract signing to completion. This includes a site survey, equipment delivery, professional installation, and service verification. For multi-site deployments, we develop a phased rollout plan with your team. We recommend starting 4–6 months ahead of any carrier deadline to ensure a smooth transition.
SafeLine Alert+ devices include integrated battery backup providing up to 24 hours of standby power. Additionally, dual-SIM LTE failover ensures connectivity even if your primary internet connection fails. For life-safety applications like fire alarms and elevators, this redundancy is essential and meets code requirements.
Organizations typically save 40–60% compared to current inflated POTS line costs. With some businesses now paying $500–$2,700 per line per month for analog service, the savings can be substantial. SafeLine offers fixed monthly rates with no hidden fees, providing cost predictability alongside significantly lower total cost of ownership.
The time to act is now. Let Lingo help you transition your analog lines to a modern, compliant, and cost-effective solution before carrier deadlines create disruption.
