The End of Analog Lines (POTS) is Near
The FCC requested telecommunications providers to fully transition to digital methods for transmitting voice. The Federal Communications Commission gave carriers a deadline when all subscribers would need to be off their traditional analog lines services and switch to digital alternatives. The deadline provided was August 2. So what should happen next?
Analog lines, or POTS, commonly known, have been on their way out for a while now. The FCC issued Order #19-72A1 in August of 2019, which requires providers to replace all POTS lines with an alternative service by August 2022. This change is inevitable, and it's essential to understand what it means for your business. Analog lines have been around since the late 1800s, but their days are numbered with the rise of Unified Communications.
Why should you replace your Analog lines now?
They are too expensive.
As the number of users falls and the aging system requires more maintenance, the cost of procuring analog copper lines has risen dramatically, increasing prices for these services.
Telecommunications providers are increasing the prices of their services, with some areas seeing an increase as high as 50%. However, there are ways to reduce expenses and absorb the costs.
More frequent line failures
While the analog lines are highly reliable, they have the potential for outages. These outages have increased as the lines have aged, making the infrastructure more susceptible to significant weather events.
Many carriers are not investing enough in their POTS lines while raising rates, creating inertia toward migration off the aging network.
Service Discontinuation and Migration
Telcos are beginning to discontinue services for users who have not migrated to new platforms. Users must act fast to continue using their current phone plans.
How can you Initiate your Migration from POTS?
Migrating away from Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) can be daunting. However, you can make the process much easier by running a proper audit of your lines and connecting with a communications consultant. This will allow you to compare the number of lines in use with the ones under contract with your carrier, making the migration process much more straightforward.
Analog lines deliver services to many devices today, including telephones, faxes, burglar and fire alarms, point of sale devices, analog modems, and elevators. However, with the end of life for analog lines, businesses must migrate their devices to a new service.
Our consultants can assist with the discovery of which devices are using analog lines and present the best approach to continuing their service.
The result
Once you transition out of your POTS lines, your business will save money. Most importantly, you will be worry-free about dealing with last-minute changes in your communications network.
This change can seem daunting for businesses and individuals relying on Analog lines. But don't worry – plenty of options are available for replacing the POTS service.
Many businesses have already transitioned, and you can start the transition of your business too!
TeleSwitch provides innovative technologies and trusted professional technical services, including consulting, design, project management, implementation, and maintenance for voice, video, and data networks. Teleswitch partners with leading communication manufacturers, telecom carriers, and service providers to bring unparalleled choices for meeting your voice, video, and data communications needs.
