10 questions to ask when looking for POTS replacement

The retirement of copper-wire POTS lines has received a lot of media attention lately. At Ooma, we call this eventual shutdown the copper sunset. For homeowners, it signals the end of the legacy phone service era they’ve depended on for decades. Change is scary. For businesses, the copper sunset is scary for additional reasons—the expenses of a transition, the uncertainty of reliability in a replacement solution, and maintaining compliance with industry regulations.

While nobody can predict the exact date when all of these copper lines will cease to exist, the process is picking up momentum. The bellwether—dramatically escalating phone bills—is getting the attention of everyone from sole proprietors, to accountants, to CFOs and CEOs, who are eager to find out why and what can be done to stop the bleeding. So the sooner your business can figure out a solution that calms all your fears, the better. Here are 10 questions and answers to help you understand the copper sunset and find the right solution for your company:

1. Why are copper lines being decommissioned?

The short answer is that newer technology and cellular phones are replacing the legacy analog lines that have been around since the telephone was invented. Telecom service providers are understandably shifting their focus to provide homeowners and businesses with more affordable phone options. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recognized this and in August 2022 basically pulled the handcuffs off pricing restrictions that had been in place since 1996. Now that telecom providers no longer are required to provide copper wire phone service and there are no price caps, POTS rates have skyrocketed, outages are longer and carriers are shutting down POTS lines altogether.

2. What kind of devices need a POTS line?

Desk phones and fax machines make up a large percentage of the devices that need a POTS line. And they are easy to switch over to technologies that use the internet to connect.

The real challenges, with more human impact in terms of safety, are with:

• elevator phones
• fire alarm panels
• building security panels
• door entry systems

Because these lines tend to be more difficult to replace than phones and fax machines, a lot of service providers don’t want to touch them with a 10-foot pole. That’s not the case with Ooma—we haven’t found a situation yet where Ooma AirDial® wasn’t able to provide a digital POTS line solution.

3. What about compliance with industry and government regulations?

Compliance issues weigh heavily on the minds of business owners, as well they should. Nobody wants to put their customers or business in jeopardy with a product that doesn’t meet key compliance statutes. The most important thing to do is make sure that any POTS line replacement solution you’re considering can help you address any codes or regulations that affect your business. For example, Ooma AirDial was built with the applicable guidelines of UL, NFPA 72, ASME A17.1B and the California Fire Marshal in mind.

4. Is migration to a POTS line replacement solution expensive?

No—in fact, switching to a POTS line replacement option will probably save you money in a relatively short time. With Ooma AirDial, there is the initial cost of the hardware, but that will be quickly offset by lower monthly service costs. Keep in mind that in many businesses, the cost of traditional POTS line service is hidden to different parts of the organization. The person in accounting who pays the monthly bill may have no idea what that phone line is used for. But a $200 phone bill that escalates to $1,000 or more a month raises eyebrows. With a little investigating, they can find solutions like Ooma AirDial that will bring those phone bills back to manageable levels.

5. How can I prepare for a transition?

The big thing is to do an audit of all of these lines that your business currently has. Literally take a printout of your phone bill and go line by line to match each phone number with a device. One of our customers who owned an apartment building learned that nearly a dozen lines weren’t connected to anything, and hadn’t been in use for a long time. Probably nobody thought to call the phone company to stop service when a phone was no longer needed after a remodel.

Next, determine which lines are being used by devices that are subject to compliance regulations, such as NFPA 72, ASME A17.1B or UL 864. Compile a list of all those codes and regulations and ask potential service providers if their solutions will help you stay on the right side of the law. For example, Ooma AirDial’s MultiPath technology ensures that no calls are dropped.

6. What if I’m not ready to take the POTS line replacement plunge?

I get it—making any major transition can be a bit overwhelming. So if you want to take more time to continue your research, look for a provider with a proven track record and ask for customer referrals. Even if you decide to stay on POTS lines for a bit longer, which I don’t recommend because they are going away eventually, you will probably save money just by doing a phone line audit and cutting service to those numbers you aren’t using any more. Just remember that your phone bills aren’t going to get any cheaper, so the sooner you find a dependable and affordable replacement, the more money you’ll save.

7. What is the advantage of working with a channel partner?

Any good telecom distributor, vendor, reseller or IT consultant will be knowledgeable about POTS line replacement options, or at least willing to do some research for you. So if you already have a relationship with a channel partner who knows your business, seek their advice. Ooma AirDial is available directly from Ooma and also through hundreds of channel partners who would be happy to help you find the best option for your company.

8. How is Ooma AirDial different from other POTS line replacement solutions?

Ooma AirDial has two things that set it apart from any of our competitors: MultiPath technology and Remote Device Management.

MultiPath technology provides a backup by intelligently monitoring the flow of data packets over both your broadband internet connection and AirDial’s wireless LTE network and judging the best link. If one connection is disrupted, the other connection is automatically and instantly used. Calls in progress continue uninterrupted!

Remote Device Management provides an online platform for your team to monitor and manage all of your POTS replacement units. This easy-to-use portal provides detailed information about the lines plugged into each AirDial device.

9. Do I have to transition all of my POTS lines at the same time?

That depends on your service provider. At Ooma, you can migrate all or a handful of lines—it’s really up to you. Once you see how reliable and easy transitioning to Ooma AirDial is, we are confident you’ll wish you’d made the move sooner, if for no other reason than to reap the cost savings.

10. If I decide to go with Ooma AirDial, how do I move forward?

You have two choices—contact us directly by calling (866) 902-6765 or visiting ooma.com/airdial, or reach out to one of our channel partners.

Before you make that call, have your current phone bill in hand. We can use it to give you an immediate idea of what your cost savings will be.