Understanding Traditional POTS Lines

POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) refers to the traditional, analog phone systems implemented over physical copper wires.  

As of 2021, there are approximately 36 million active POTS Lines across the United States. Governments, schools, and libraries are often still relying on these analog lines to connect critical systems within their facilities, including:  

  • Emergency call boxes 
  • Alarm systems 
  • Elevator phones
  • Gates and doors 
  • Panic buttons 
  • Fax machines 
  • Voice lines 

This traditional POTS Line technology has been in place for over 100 years and is now being phased out. On August 2nd, 2022 the FCC-mandated POTS Sunset went into effect. This ruling means that Local Exchange Carriers will no longer be selling new POTS Lines and will start to migrate users from these existing lines. This phase out also means that carriers will begin cutting back on the maintenance and infrastructure management, as well as increasing costs to customers in an effort to entice users to move to newer technologies. Subsequently, customers who remain on analog lines may experience trouble if these lines need service and will very likely see steep increases in their bill. 

In other words, now is the time to start making the switch to LTE.  

Benefits of Switching POTS Lines to LTE

As mentioned above, switching your traditional lines over to LTE will result in cost savings and will future-proof your system. LTE connections also provide you with a more robust, controlled experience that analog lines simply cannot compare to. 

Traditional POTS Lines offer limited visibility for customers. The only way to verify the operational status of your system is for your internal team or a technician to do a physical inspection of each line at the point of installation. When you switch to LTE, there are more options to remotely manage and gain visibility into the status of each line.  

This increase in visibility also provides an increased sense of security within your facilities. Because these lines are often connecting critical systems, such as fire alarms, elevator phones, and panic buttons, it is imperative that your team is confident that these lines are active.  

Four Things to Look for in POTS Line Replacement Solution

While making the switch to LTE is inevitable, not all POTS Replacement solutions are the same. When evaluating different providers, there are a few things to consider. 

Choice of Carrier Networks

If you are responsible for facilities throughout your community, district, or campus, you may find that coverage varies across your region. Look for a provider that allows you to mix-and-match networks under the same plan. You shouldn’t have to work with various providers to get adequate coverage. 

Flexible Data Plans

Unlimited data plans have become a must-have for LTE solutions, and POTS Line replacement is no exception. Look for providers that offer affordable unlimited data plans that allow you to pool and share data across different carrier networks.  

Visibility & Management

A key benefit of switching your lines to LTE is the ability to monitor and manage your system remotely. A provider should be able to offer you a cloud-based portal that makes it easy to: 

  • Monitor your system from anywhere while ensuring it is always connected and secure. 
  • Set up notifications to alert you of any issues with your lines.  
  • View and manage data usage across devices. 
  • Create additional layers of security with the option to create passwords and user accounts. 

Ideally, you should look for a provider that bundles hardware, data plans, and a portal to manage your system — saving you from dealing with multiple vendors.  

Kajeet and RTech

Kajeet has partnered with RTech to offer a POTS-Over-LTE solution that converts your existing analog phone line wiring signal into a wireless connection in a simple, all-in-one solution. POTS Link scales with your needs, supporting up to 8 concurrent lines per kit. We can deliver the connectivity and intelligence needed for a secure, compliant, and more efficient POTS Line Solution with a 5G-ready solution.  

Click here to get started. We will set up a discovery call to determine how many lines you need to connect, the carrier networks that will provide the best coverage in your area, and next steps, including a site survey.