The Sunset of Copper POTS (“Plain Old Telephone Service”) Lines
FCC order 19-72A1 (issued August 2, 2019) has officially granted telecommunications carriers permission to abandon outdated, degrading copper POTs lines.
Per the order, carriers are not only released from maintaining this critical part of the communications infrastructure - they also are no longer required to make this important element of telecommunications service available to consumers.
Impact of the Order
The change has already begun. As a result of the Order, carriers are increasing pricing for existing POTS lines by 75% - 150% in a concerted effort to force customer migration off of the outdated, and literally, crumbling, POTS line infrastructure.
Some customers are receiving communication from their carriers informing them that their current POTS line services will no longer be available after “X” date.
In any case, the FCC Order mandates that customers and resellers of POTS line services must transition to an alternative service on or before August 2, 2022.
The Solution: Alternatives to Traditional POTS Line Services
Solutions such as VoIP can somewhat approximate POTS line functionality. However, for specialty services – historically supported by POTS lines – such as burglar and fire alarm lines, elevator lines, analog modem data, and (reliable) faxing, VoIP has historically been a “best effort”, and is often challenging to implement due to the unique codecs and transmission modes needed to effectively support such services.
A fully viable and highly effective alternative to POTS line service delivery is DataRemote’s POTS-In-A-Box® (PIAB) solution. In partnership with MIX Networks Unified Communications platform, the PIAB devices not only replicate POTS line functionality for Voice and Specialty Lines – they further enhance it by providing additional benefits such as:
● Use Customer Ethernet or Dual SIM Card slots for LTE coverage on ATT/Verizon networks
● Built-In Router Functionality
● Specialty codecs/signaling for Burglar and Fire Alarm Transmission
● Analog Modem Data Support
● Highly Reliable Fax-Over-IP delivery
● Extended Battery Life
● Fully Functioning Hosted PBX
23 replies (most recent on top)
For YEARS, us field techs were required to dump incredible amounts of fiber costs onto copper cost codes. It made VZ's narrative of copper losses look dramatic, in the name of seeking dismissal from their BAU obligations. Everything from temp to perm FiOS loops to non-productive time. The BAU costs then looked very ugly as a result, Wall Street & the states/Feds in DC bought in to this (notwithstanding campaign contributions), but us techs always knew it was just legal fraud.
@1xmy+1g6IZoJD
Obviously failed movement by gen x and millenials to "cut the cord".
Now we have to deal with all those gen-x, millenials, and zoomers that are begging for landlines and copper service in their homes.
Trends clearly show landlines are on the rise again, moving from being in 50% of households nationwide in 2015 to a solid 35% in 2021. The market for landlines isn't dying out, we just had to lower the number of subscribers so we have room for growth again!
"Making money off copper should have been a layup" how? Copper didn't stop getting maintained because people wanted it and we ignored them, people clearly showed us they don't want copper anymore and it stopped making enough money to maintain it (i.e. we started losing money on it) so we focused efforts on what they do want.
"Copper doesn't need power to work," true enough, but that doesn't matter because most people use landline phones that do require power to work, so the point is completely moot.
"Copper doesnt work without power unless you are talking about a home losing power and having an antique landline phone that doesnt need power in the house"
A twisted pair and a swingline phone do not need power in the house to work.
"Proof" on why VZ sales will not improve because of peeps like !them
Can we give 21a a "duh".
And thanks for proving everyone's points about who is running things and why customers are running to T Mobile and Comcast. Good job!
Copper doesnt work without power unless you are talking about a home losing power and having an antique landline phone that doesnt need power in the house.
The central offices have backup batteries and generators simce copper lines dont work by magic in case there is an outage but so do most cell towers.
I know. The cell towers were outdated too, right? And the datacenters? This is like trying to watch a European movie or an American movie directed by a foreigner. Close! But they never seem to quite 'get it'. They always miss by inches, mistaking them for millimeters. Now there is nothing left but slick financing tricks. "This ain't your mama's phone company anymore" that's for sure. What it is, or is left of it, is yet to be determined. Stratton got to be snickering!
Puh-leez! I love these posts. I think the Brits call it "too smart by half"
The wasteful wireless execs who got their jobs because of who they know and b _ _ _ w pushed the FCC in every direction that the Board wants. Remember 5g benefits the government not the subscribers. But in a 911 emergency only copper can guarantee a copper or fireman or ambulance when there is no power. People would have paid $10 per month, plus a wire maint fee for that comfort.
My aunt actually spoke to a 32 year field tech yesterday and found that he was the only helpful person at Verizon willing to help her with the down wires hanging from the pole outside her property, both power and cable. Wireless used to offer customer service like that and together the company made money for everyone. Now it is a joke because none of the new kids cars about the business or customer enough to even understand the technology.
What can be said is that NONE of the NEW set will ever make it to a multi decade career at this company and because of that both the customers and shareholders will suffer.
1vfb+1g6IZoJD...
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-grants-relief-outdated-burdensome-phone-industry-regulations
Copper stopped making money because it was never maintained in order to fund wireless, but in a rising market the wireless peeps thought that they were actually smarter than they were. This was proven when they took over HQ and flopped professionally, which is what led the company to push employees for certifications. The wireless peeps could not walk their talk. Making money on copper should have been an layup but it was abandoned. Now both T-Mobile and Comcast are the best of breed. Who's fault is that?
@1jbn+1g6IZoJD has very little knowledge of what he is talking about. It is not all about you it is about the customer. Then again you are the reason that the stock price is lagging, the network is weakening and people are being laid off.
@1rdy+1g6IZoJD
It's funny that you're worried about when power goes out.
First off, my power hasn't been out for more than a few minutes in the past 15 years. The power grid is pretty reliable here.
Second, cellular towers on Verizon either have a generator on site so the power doesn't go out, or the ability to hook a genertator up (a portable genny). Even when I have had a few minutes of power outage, my mobile has never once been affected by the outage.
@crr+1g6IZoJD
Please tell us. What makes money and what doesn't? I'm interested to hear what you think about it.
Copper lines have been a loss leader for 20 years. Verizon knows it, and it shows in all the financial reports pretty clearly. Other companies know it, too, it's why many companies have been trying to sell or discontinue copper service all over the country.
So y'all get that the op was just an ad for cellular service, right?
When power goes out, Internet goes out, Towers go out, wireless goes out.
Copper was the only service that worked in all elements all of the time.
It is funny that the ARPA net was to be used in case of emergency when copper was and still is the simplest tech to use. Almost like string telephones.
But the new untested crew knows better just like they knew better with aol and go90.
Layoffs, skimpy bonuses and low stock prices are on the road ahead.
I'm hearing that the states need to get involved too.
https://aqueducttech.com/engineers-corner/fcc-order-19-72a1-to-replace-copper-telephone-lines/
"Twenty states have given approval for carriers to provide a 60-day notice that services will no longer be available."
My brother seems to think that the service can't be shut down in his state on account of this.
I am so entertained by these rookies who still need their woke cookies and milk and safe spaces to make it through the day. To read them regale how little they know about who really does what and what makes money and what doesn't makes me laugh that I sold when I did.
The layoffs will continue for a while and either Blackrock, Vanguard and State Street will get taken to the woodshed by Congress and the company will return to stability, or the woke will lead to broke as it always does and the company will be gobbled up by someone in big tech.
Either way, the closer you are to the king means the less likely you are to be laid off.
You won't become fiber splicers because we're cleaning house.
Copper still lives!
Vz still won’t let us become fiber splicers because of the 5000 copper jobs
Time to get rid of ALL of the relics from the past.
As I walk down the streets in Cos Cob, CT and look up at the aerial mess of copper wires and abandoned trash filled cross boxes, I wonder what the people think about the company that makes a mess and never cleans it up. It is the same with how they treat their employees.
Fiber is the future. Wireline and wireless.
WHY OH WHY am I being forced into getting a superior and easier to maintain technology at a lower price?!?
It just isnt FAIR!
2023 HERE WE COME!!!
Many of the alarm systems here were on cellular, 3g specifically. 3g is going away too so there is a mad selling bonanza to get people to upgrade to a newer G.
Kinda funny my car was on 2G but since I wasnt the original owner I couldnt use the remote features when I got it and soon they probably wouldnt work anyways. Forced upgrades are great for companies and never for the consumer.