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DataRemote

The Copper Sunset Is Here

The #1 Copper Line Replacement Solution

Join industry leaders by future-proofing your business with reliable copper alternatives and internet backup solutions.

  • AT&T plans to retire traditional copper landline service across nearly all of its footprint by 2029
  • The FCC cut the copper-retirement customer notice period from 180 days to just 90 days
  • Some copper POTS lines now cost more than $2,700 per line, per month
  • Life-safety lines — fire panels, elevator phones, burglar alarms — go dark without a replacement plan
  • Once copper is retired in your area, replacement stops being optional

Contact DataRemote’s Team of Experts to Assist You in Finding the Best-In-Class Copper Line Replacement Solutions

In the News

Why the Copper Shift Matters

Latest news and expert insights on the copper line phase-out.
USA Today
"AT&T plans to eliminate its traditional landline phone service across nearly all U.S. states in its service area by 2029."
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Light Reading
"65% of AT&T's footprint includes copper, 34% of Frontier Communications' footprint includes copper, and 93% of Lumen Technologies' footprint includes copper."
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News On 6
"We've been successful in removing some of the variable costs as customers have left, but we are now ready to take the next step."
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Medium
"Our legacy services are no longer meeting our customer needs for speed, reliability or always-on connectivity."
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SOC 2 Type 1

Independently audited security controls under the AICPA SOC 2 Type 1 framework.

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Aligned to FedRAMP requirements for U.S. federal cloud security.

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GSA Multiple Award Schedule

Available to government buyers through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule.

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Solutions

Purpose-built for the lines that can't go dark

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POTS Line Replacement

Migrate copper voice, fax, alarm and elevator lines to a managed 5G/LTE appliance — preserving every signal your life-safety devices depend on.

Up to 50% savings8 lines per applianceFull E-911
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Solution

Internet Backup & Cellular Failover

24–48 hour battery backup and instant cellular failover — your business never goes dark.

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Solution

Fixed Wireless Access

Primary or failover business internet over 5G/LTE, with automatic failover and battery backup baked in.

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Copper Sunset FAQ

What is the "copper sunset" and why is it happening?
The "copper sunset" refers to the nationwide retirement of legacy copper POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) landlines by carriers such as AT&T, Lumen, and Frontier. Carriers are decommissioning copper because it is expensive to maintain, increasingly unreliable, and being replaced by fiber, cellular, and IP-based networks. Regulatory changes — including the FCC cutting the copper-retirement notice period from 180 to 90 days — are accelerating the timeline.
When will AT&T retire copper landlines?
AT&T has stated it plans to eliminate traditional copper landline service across nearly all of its service area by 2029, and stopped accepting new copper line orders in October 2025. Other major carriers, including Lumen and Frontier, are retiring copper on similar or faster timelines in specific states and exchanges.
What happens to POTS lines that aren't replaced before copper retirement?
When a carrier formally retires copper in an area, existing POTS lines are disconnected and can no longer be used — regardless of how they are wired. Any device still depending on that line, including fire alarm panels, elevator phones, burglar alarms, fax machines, and point-of-sale terminals, loses connectivity until it is migrated to an alternative like cellular POTS replacement.
What is the best replacement for a copper POTS line?
A managed cellular POTS replacement appliance — like DataRemote's POTS IN A BOX® — is the most direct replacement, since it plugs into existing RJ-11 wiring and preserves the analog behaviors legacy devices depend on: voice, FAX, DTMF signaling, ring-down, and E-911 with geo-location. This avoids rewiring or replacing the connected equipment itself.
Does replacing a copper POTS line affect E-911 or fire alarm monitoring?
It shouldn't, if the replacement is purpose-built for life-safety use. DataRemote's POTS IN A BOX® appliances are designed to preserve full E-911 support with geo-location and maintain the signaling protocols fire and burglar alarm panels require, so monitoring and emergency calling continue to work exactly as they did on copper.