POTS Line Replacement

For decades, mission-critical and life-safety devices have depended on analog copper POTS lines. The FCC counted 15 million traditional lines still in service in June 2025, and the network under them is being taken apart. The FCC has cut copper-retirement notice to just 90 days. In 2026 it has approved retirement across more than 30% of AT&T's copper footprint, and AT&T's retirement notices have more than tripled since 2024. AT&T is no longer accepting new copper orders as it moves toward nationwide retirement by 2029. Prices are moving just as fast. With price caps gone, carriers are repricing the lines that remain: documented rates now exceed $3,300 per month in some states. For an ordinary phone, that is an inconvenience. For a fire alarm dialer, an elevator emergency phone, or a monitored security panel, a copper disconnect removes the path a code requires. Waiting is no longer the safe or the affordable option.

Primary sources: the FCC's copper retirement and technology transitions dockets, and the section 214 discontinuance filings that govern when a carrier may stop serving a wire center. Line counts, notice volumes, and price figures are sourced in the stat cards below; the AT&T footprint approval was reported by Broadband Breakfast (Jan 13, 2026). DataRemote's quarterly Copper Retirement Bulletin tracks these figures, the states impacted, and every carrier milestone in one sourced record.