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☎ POTS is Vanishing Quickly — Is Your Business Prepared?

Does your business still rely on plain old telephone service (POTS)?

If so, you might be in for a surprise (and not the good kind).

While we’ve been warning you of the retirement of POTS and the copper lines they require by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for years, life without analog networks is getting closer to becoming a reality.

What does this mean? Your business phone lines will go dark — forever.

The FCC recently got serious about sunsetting copper lines with new rules around how carriers operate POTS. The rules, published in March, give telecommunications companies more flexibility to shut down their analog landline networks.

Most importantly, the FCC is cutting the notice period that providers must give businesses before their lines are retired by half — from 180 days to 90 days.

As major telecom providers pull the plug on copper lines — with AT&T announcing the end of most copper lines by 2029 — they’re not being subtle about pushing you to switch. With prices jacked up to eye-watering levels, sometimes as much as $1,000 per line, many businesses are now staring at monthly bills of $19,000 for services that used to cost a fraction of that.

But don’t panic. SpyGlass has insight and tips to help you navigate this change without breaking the bank.

What’s Really Going On With Copper Lines?

You might be thinking, “My phones work fine, what’s the big problem?” Well, it’s not only your desk phones we’re worried about. Copper lines are also connected to:

Your building’s fire alarms
Emergency phones in elevators
Security systems protecting your business
That fax machine in accounting that “nobody can live without”
Even your payment terminals and ATM connections

Each of these needs a plan before your carrier sends that “sorry, we’re shutting it down” notice.

The Money Side: What This Really Means for Your Budget

While those skyrocketing prices for copper lines are grabbing headlines, there’s more to the story. Yes, you’ll need to invest in some new equipment upfront, but here’s the good news: your monthly bills will likely drop significantly afterward.

By the way, did you know AT&T spends a whopping $6 billion every year maintaining copper networks that only 5% of customers still use? No wonder they’re eager to move on. And honestly, wouldn’t you rather put your budget toward something more modern anyway?

What Are Your Options?

Here’s the simple version of what to know:

VoIP: Basically, phone calls over your internet. It’s cheaper than what you’re paying now and works great if you have solid internet service. Your team won’t notice much difference in day-to-day use.
UCaaS: This is the Swiss Army knife of communication tools — it bundles everything from phone calls to video meetings and team messaging into one package. Perfect if you’re tired of juggling five different apps just to communicate.
POTS over LTE: Here’s a wireless solution that works with your older equipment. Great for those alarm systems and elevators that need a phone line but don’t need fancy features.
Cloud Phone Systems: Think of this as “phones without the physical phones.” It’s super flexible—add or remove lines in minutes instead of days, and your team can answer calls from anywhere.

But knowing your options is only part of the solution.

End of POTS Reminders

Before you dive into your next meeting about this, keep these critical points in mind:

Don’t wait until the last minute. Most organizations discover problems only after they start the migration process.
Make a complete inventory of EVERYTHING connected to a copper line. You’ll be surprised what you find.
Consider all your options rather than just replacing old lines with new services.
Don’t go it alone. Seek guidance from specialists like SpyGlass who can audit your technology expenses, identify unused lines, and recommend money-saving solutions with premier sourcing providers to replace your copper dependencies.

Ready to Get Ahead of This Whole Copper Situation?

Stop throwing money at outdated technology. Our team can help you identify every single copper connection in your organization.

SpyGlass’s SnapShot Audit® can help make this whole process easier and help you save money. Most clients end up saving around 20% on their monthly tech bills. Pretty nice bonus for something you’d need to do anyway, right?

When you work with SpyGlass, you’ll get: