For decades, Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) was the backbone of business communications. But copper lines are now becoming an expensive, risky\u2014and soon obsolete\u2014liability. Here\u2019s why it\u2019s time to make the move.<\/p>\n
In 2019, the FCC passed Order 19-72A1, removing pricing restrictions on Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) like AT&T and Frontier. Since then, POTS rates have climbed more than 20% from 2020 to 2025<\/a>\u2014and it\u2019s about to get worse. Major carriers have announced price hikes of up to 50% in the next year. Staying on copper isn\u2019t just outdated; it\u2019s financially unsustainable.<\/p>\n As of March 25, 2025, the FCC has given ILECs expanded authority to shut down copper-based POTS wire centers<\/a> with just 90 days\u2019 notice<\/strong>\u2014cut in half from the previous 180 days. That\u2019s barely enough time to identify, plan, and migrate critical lines such as alarms, elevators, and fax services. Waiting puts your operations at serious risk.<\/p>\n The nation\u2019s largest carriers are openly phasing out copper. With the high price of copper, aging infrastructure, and shrinking subscriber bases, AT&T has already stated it intends to retire its copper network by 2029<\/a>. Businesses that delay action will soon face a scramble for alternatives.<\/p>\nRisk Is Rising<\/h2>\n
Copper\u2019s Days Are Numbered
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nYour Next Move: Digital POTS<\/h2>\n