The days are numbered for Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines. The antiquated infrastructure made up of copper telephone lines has over time, deteriorated. The FCC has issued Order 10-72A1 that mandates all POTS lines in the US be replaced with an alternative service such as fiber or wireless connections, effective August 2, 2022. If you still need POTS, Patton products are your best solution! But first, a little about POTS.

What are POTS Lines?

Based on Alexander Graham Bell’s phone system, it uses twisted-pair copper wires to connect homes and businesses to central control rooms.

Fun Fact: POTS used to stand for “post office telephone service” because the post office operators were the first operators to connect callers using a switchboard.

As the technology evolved, operators were replaced by automatic switching for calls made over POTS lines. Basically, when you place the call, the audio is converted from soundwaves into electronic analog signals and passed through a complex network of control rooms through copper wires, and when it is received, it is then converted back into soundwaves.

Does That Still Matter?

With today’s technology, you must ask, who or why would anyone still be on POTS lines? With the growth of computer networking, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has taken over the market share of connectivity options. Rather than converting sound waves into electronic analog signals like POTS does, VoIP works by converting sound waves into digital signals. These signals are transported through a data network and then connected through the internet.

But, not everything works that way. Some of these devices could be –

Emergency Phones
Fax Machines
Fire Alarms
Security Systems
Control Panels
Elevator Communications

The problem is that the infrastructure to support these lines is failing. So, the FCC’s Order is really about the transition of technology so that it works when required.

Solution – Bring in Patton products!

 Patton helps you keep the “must-have” POTS-based services alive in the land of another language. Their products help provide the intelligence to translate communications from POTS to current infrastructure standards and can help you keep alive those devices that you still need. 

Patton fundamentally believes in making connectivity possible in the ever-changing world of technology. Their experts can help you overcome your challenges with high-quality, right-priced technology solutions. Combining high-value products and services with unparalleled customer service and technical support, Patton is here to help you solve your biggest challenges. To learn more about Patton, Click here.

Want to learn more about POTS? Check out this blog article from our friends at Patton.
If you still need POTS lines, Patton can help.