DataRemote Powers MetTel's $54M VA POTS Transformation Contract

DataRemote partner MetTel has secured a $54 million contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to modernize legacy telephone infrastructure across ~15,000 landlines at 1,875 VA sites.

VA POTS Transformation contract

DataRemote partner MetTel announced it has been selected by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to modernize the VA’s 15,000 telephone landlines across 1,875 locations with its POTS Transformation solution and managed services.

This multi-year, single-vendor task order — awarded under the GSA’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions vehicle — will utilize MetTel’s POTS Transformation solution to transition analog circuit-switched phone systems to a multi-path IP-based structure, supporting standard voice, elevators, alarms, fax, emergency 911 call boxes, and modem connections.

At the core of this modernization is DataRemote’s proprietary POTS IN A BOX® technology, seamlessly integrated into MetTel’s broader POTS Transformation service. Key features include:

• Port-level analytics & advanced reporting for real-time visibility.
• Continuous monitoring and multi-path failover via broadband, Wi-Fi, & LTE/5G backups.
• Zero-downtime deployment retaining analog device compatibility across legacy systems.

These capabilities ensure the VA maintains full operational continuity while benefiting from secure, digitized communications.

How DataRemote’s POTS IN A BOX® drives success

MetTel’s fully-managed, multi-carrier POTS Transformation solution uses DataRemote’s POTS IN A BOX® technology, which will maintain and improve VA voice connectivity while also offering additional features including detailed port-level analysis, 24/7 monitoring, multi-path failover and advanced reporting. MetTel provides the best alternative to POTS service through its partnership with DataRemote, geographically dispersed network and managed service delivery team.

MetTel has also been approved as a Managed Facilities-based Voice Network (MFVN) by respected public safety organizations such as the New York City Fire Department (NYFD) and is listed with Cal Fire, the California State Fire Marshal’s Building Materials Listing Program, for analog telecom replacement.

• Reliable, secure voice connectivity remains vital to VA’s mission supporting veterans, even during outages.
• Cost optimization through digital conversion eliminates steep legacy copper line costs and variable state surcharges. Previous implementations have demonstrated up to 30% cost savings for clients.
• Operational simplification: national deployment managed from a unified platform reduces complexity and improves SLAs and support.

MetTel’s Don Parente, VP of Sales & Solution Architecture – Federal, emphasizes:

“We provide connectivity via multiple paths from space-based broadband to LTE, supported by a network of data centers and points of presence (PoPs) across the U.S. Given the variety of access pathways and robust infrastructure, MetTel can ensure reliability in communications — an attribute that is core to the VA’s mission to support our military veterans.”

POTS Transformation benefits summary

At DataRemote, we are proud to contribute to this milestone — a digital transformation that empowers the VA to modernize mission-critical communications while honoring their duty to serve U.S. veterans.

Benefit	Impact for VA
15,000 lines transformed	Enterprise-scale deployment
Continuous backup & monitoring	Ensures uninterrupted service
Legacy device compatibility	No hardware overhaul needed
Cost savings & stable pricing	Predictable opex & reduced costs
Analytics & reporting capabilities	Operational insight & centralized visibility

More from the MetTel × DataRemote partnership

This VA award is one of several milestones for the MetTel and DataRemote POTS Transformation partnership — see MetTel’s ChannelVision Visionary Spotlight Award and its USPS Supplier Excellence Award spanning 17,000+ postal locations.