Don’t let the copper sunset leave your residential community hanging

We all want to feel safe in our residential communities, and that help is just a phone call away. Unfortunately, emergency equipment that depends on traditional phone service lines is in the middle of a crisis because of something called the copper sunset. The good news is that Ooma AirDial^® is an affordable POTS-line replacement solution to support life-saving equipment. But if “copper sunset”, “POTS” and “AirDial” all sound like gibberish to you, let us break it down.

What is a POTS line?

POTS or Plain Old Telephone Service lines, are traditional phone lines that connect calls through analog copper wires. This system has been used more or less since the invention of the telephone in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. But with the rising popularity of mobile phones and the emergence of internet calling or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), POTS lines have been gradually replaced.

What does the copper sunset mean?

Throughout the 1900s and early 2000s, copper landlines were the only way to make calls. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) heavily regulated POTS lines. But once it became clear more modern technology would be taking over, the FCC eased up on these tight regulations. In 2017 the FCC released a Report and Order (R&O) stating that POTS lines be retired and replaced with “next generation service” VoIP. Then in 2019, an FCC order was released stating that there was no longer any reason to require carriers to offer and maintain POTS lines. Enter the era of the copper sunset.

With no price regulations for POTS, prices are sky-rocketing, and VoIP phone services are a fraction of the cost. This has only accelerated the decrease in the number of POTS lines. In fact, mobile and VoIP services have almost completely replaced POTS lines in both residential communities and businesses, and that trend will only increase. But what does that mean? Simply that finding a POTS replacement solution for emergency phone lines may benefit you greatly.

Who is affected?

The copper sunset is affecting both residential and business customers. But the hardest hit are legacy devices. In layman’s terms, these are devices that a facility has in use and has invested money in but currently rely on POTS lines that are now outdated and sometimes are unsupported and where, for a number of reasons, a VoIP line isn’t a viable replacement. Examples of legacy equipment in residential communities include:

• Security alarms
• Fire alarm panels
• Building and gate entry systems
• Public safety emergency phones (such as those found on campuses)
• Elevator lines
• Fax machines

Many of these are considered life-safety systems and work to keep the community safe. Switching these out can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming. But for safety reasons, there obviously needs to be a solution. That’s where Ooma comes in.

The Ooma AirDial solution

Ooma took the FCC’s deregulation decisions seriously and put a lot of time into developing and creating an affordable solution that’s easy to configure, install and maintain for those who need POTS line replacement. Ooma AirDial provides a digital connection for legacy equipment.

AirDial is a turnkey solution that works with security alarms, fire alarm panels, building and gate entry systems, public safety emergency phones, elevator lines, point-of-sale systems and countless other items that need a solution that mimics a POTS line. AirDial reduces the complexity of a POTS phone line replacement, is built with regulatory compliance in mind and has a backup battery designed to last up to eight hours during power outages.

See how Brickpoint Properties used AirDial for their elevators and other devices that needed POTS lines.

Ooma can provide the entire process from assessment to installation on a reliable platform that more than two million users trust. Working with Ooma, you get everything you need, including hardware, software, remote device management and cloud telephony, wrapped up in one monthly bill.

A final word

Ooma AirDial is an excellent solution for any business needing POTS line replacement for the safety phones your residential community relies on.

Ooma consistently goes above and beyond for customers. But don’t take our word for it—read how Ooma went the extra mile to save Memorial Day weekend for one residential community.