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For decades, business communications have relied heavily on Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). However, as technology has continued to evolve, POTS is slowly becoming obsolete. Copper lines are degrading, and maintenance costs continue to climb, leaving organizations looking for more future-forward telecommunications solutions for POTS replacement.
We checked in with our partners at Granite to help you better understand this changing landscape and alternative solutions for POTS replacement.
The End of an Era: Copper Lines Are Phasing Out
While copper infrastructure supporting POTS has served us for many years, much of it is now reaching the end of its lifespan. This decline can be attributed to multiple factors.
Copper lines have been working hard for decades, so the end of their operational life is near. As a result, telecom providers need to do costly and labor-intensive work to maintain the lines, which means increased costs for their customers.
With the introduction of wireless and fiber optic technology that offers much greater bandwidth and increased reliability, a strong case can be made that maintaining these copper lines is not worth the investment.
The evolving regulatory and policy pressure is creating even more pressure on carriers to abandon degrading copper infrastructure.
FCC legislation eliminates carrier requirements to maintain traditional POTS networks, and government and regulators are encouraging companies to adopt next-generation technology, thereby transitioning to POTS replacement solutions.
As POTS providers focus on newer technologies and the costs associated with maintaining copper lines continue to climb, consumers can expect increased service fees to offset these costs, which will encourage users to find other solutions.
With more carriers looking at POTS replacement options, the availability of POTS service is becoming more limited in some areas — and completely unavailable in others.
With the future of POTS uncertain, many businesses relying on these services are now considering POTS replacement to contain costs and ensure they aren’t left scrambling to make the change before it’s no longer optional.
Choose a Future-Proof POTS Replacement
With various POTS replacements available and lines being decommissioned, you may wonder why POTS is still being used.
The answer is simple: safety.
Fire alarms, elevator alarms, and 911 emergency services traditionally run using POTS. So, to make the change, you must choose a POTS replacement alternative that includes these features.
Many businesses are transitioning to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other IP-based solutions, which provide higher bandwidth, scalability, and a broader range of features than POTS.
New technologies like cellular backup for traditional phone lines are gaining momentum as businesses look for reliable options for copper-based POTS.
Choosing an option, like Granite’s EPIK device, for POTS replacement can offer benefits such as increased reliability, nationwide coverage, and improved cost-effectiveness.
For example, these types of devices offer:
- Industry-leading compliance for fire alarms and elevator systems. The capabilities extend to traditional phone lines, fax machines, point-of-sale systems, and more.
- Leveraged cellular backup and wireline access through all three major carriers, providing coverage for over 80% of the US. Businesses experience uninterrupted communication regardless of copper line availability.
- On-board GPS with location tracking and geofencing for accurate 911 response to ensure that your call goes to the correct PSAP in the case of an emergency.
- Additionally, unlimited inbound and outbound calling within the continental US ensures predictable communication costs.
Get Flexibility and Cost Savings with the Right POTS Replacement
The decline of POTS can significantly impact your business, so it’s critical to look for solutions that will support communication in the future to stay connected and competitive.
A suitable POTS replacement can offer flexibility, functionality and savings while supporting your business communications needs.
To learn more about POTS replacement for your organization, book a call to speak to an expert now.
