Sunsetting of POTS Lines

If you are unfamiliar with the term “POTS lines”, it stands for Plain Old Telephone System. POTS lines are the traditional copper land lines that were once universally used everywhere for communications such as home phones and security systems, but these land lines are quickly becoming obsolete and will be removed this year.   

As of October 2025, AT&T was the first major telecom carrier to announce it would discontinue service, as it began phasing out POTS lines and would no longer make changes or additions to existing or new POTS lines for business and residential accounts.  

Furthermore, starting in 2026, AT&T started projects to remove copper lines for businesses (not residential) throughout the U.S., stating POTS copper has become too expensive and no longer cost-effective to continue service. 

What this means for businesses: Planning ahead is key! Otherwise, service interruptions could happen for business needs that once required POTS lines. The urgency to plan ahead is exacerbated by the fact that the FCC has reduced the notification time period to let businesses know that they will be pulling the copper lines from 180 days to just 90 days. That means once businesses are notified, there are only 90 days to complete a working replacement to prevent any service interruptions. This affects Fire Alarms, Elevator Phones, Emergency and Security systems, Fax Machines and in some cases Door Locks and Card Entry Systems.

PTech project management can help prepare businesses and ensure a smooth transition by:

Assessing the business's needs with a Comprehensive Audit,  

Building and guiding a migration plan to effectively manage Vendor Engagement, and  

Completing the project with any necessary Testing and Training. 

PTech is a highly reputable IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) servicing businesses globally since 2014, with its central operations located in Pasadena, California. PTech provides a polite and friendly service to carry out proactive solutions that keep business operations running smoothly. Over a decade ago, Scott Pauli founded PTech, an innovative IT company where he serves as President and Owner. Under his leadership, PTech has grown into a forward-thinking organization that leverages both current and emerging technologies to deliver impactful solutions and long-term value to clients.