The Copper Shutdown Has Begun – Is Your Business Ready?

AT&T has officially begun retiring its copper POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) infrastructure across nearly 20 states, marking the start of a nationwide phase-out that will continue through 2029. For decades, these lines powered critical systems — from fire alarms to elevator emergency phones — but their days are numbered.

The FCC’s 2025 rule changes already gave carriers more authority to discontinue analog service with as little as 90 days’ notice. AT&T’s announcement simply confirms what we’ve been preparing for — analog POTS lines are being decommissioned faster than expected, and many organizations are still dependent on them for life-safety and security systems.

If your systems still rely on copper — fire alarms, security panels, medical alert lines, elevator phones — now is the time to act. Once carriers discontinue service in your area, restoration will no longer be an option.

Copper maintenance costs are skyrocketing. Line rates have increased by more than 30% annually since the FCC lifted price controls in 2019. As carriers like AT&T move toward full retirement, service quality and support will continue to decline.

Fortunately, POTS replacement solutions are ready today — delivering the same reliability as analog lines with far greater flexibility and compliance features. At Sonoran Integrations, we’ve partnered with companies such as Fusion Connect to offer a complete, NFPA-compliant “POTS-in-a-Box” solution with battery backup, LTE/5G redundancy, and proactive monitoring.

The copper shutdown has begun. The question isn’t if your analog lines will be turned off — it’s when. Getting ahead of this transition now means avoiding compliance risks, downtime, and emergency headaches later.

Contact us to learn more. You can also read our full breakdown of the FCC’s 2025 rule changes and what they mean for your business here.