POTS Line Replacement.
Keep what matters connected.
Replace aging POTS lines without replacing compatible analog equipment. POTS Link brings wireless connectivity, expert installation, application-specific voice engineering, RCN Edge visibility and 24/7 U.S.-based support together in one fully managed service.
Live POTS Link deployments
“As soon as we found POTS Link, we were done with everyone else.”
Why replace your POTS lines now?
Traditional POTS lines remain essential to many elevators, alarm panels, emergency phones and building systems. But the infrastructure supporting them is changing as carriers transition away from legacy networks.
Organizations face rising monthly bills, limited outage visibility and location-specific service retirement notices. POTS line replacement can preserve compatible endpoints while modernizing the connection behind them.
Rising monthly cost
Legacy POTS Line rates are becoming disproportionately expensive as carriers leverage cost increases to force customers off of expensive-to-maintain legacy networks. RCN often sees customers net 40% monthly expense reductions after cutting over to POTS Link.
Limited visibility into failures
Traditional analog service offers limited centralized insight into line status, forcing teams to investigate issues onsite or discover them after disruption.
Carrier-driven retirement
New FCC policies from 2022 and 2026 have eased the carrier burden of maintaining legacy POTS networks. There is no universal shutdown date, but AT&T has publicly stated it aims to retire its POTS network across most of its footprint by 2029, and other major carriers are filing retirement notices of their own.
Replace the line. Preserve the system.
POTS Link supports a wide range of analog communications. Each application receives its own compatibility, signaling and emergency-calling assessment before cutover.
Life safetyLines that have to work on inspection day.
Fire panels, elevator cars and emergency call stations need a working line to meet code. We plan and test each one against the applicable requirements before cutover.
Security and accessKeep alarms reporting and gates opening.
Alarm panels, gate and door entry systems keep their existing equipment. Only the POTS line behind them is replaced.
Business systemsKeep the analog lines the business still runs on.
Fax machines, card readers, ATMs and PBX backup lines move to POTS Link without replacing the equipment they connect to.
Compatibility and applicable code requirements are verified for each endpoint.
Purpose-built hardware. Fully managed service.
One POTS Link gateway can support up to eight analog lines in compatible configurations, with managed cellular transport, application-specific voice profiles and support for necessary emergency-calling capabilities.
The gateway is just the beginning. RCN handles engineering, provisioning, installation coordination, cutover testing and ongoing support across the life of the service.
Eight ways POTS Link is different.
Consolidated service for eligible analog endpoints, so one box can replace a whole bank of POTS lines without the equipment sprawl.
Resilient cellular connections for routing calls; wired internet optionality for a third call path.
Average time from order to cutover, depending on customer availability.
Voice engineering tuned and tested for the actual use case.
Engineered to address applicable NFPA, ASME and E911 obligations.
One place to view managed line, site and service assets.
See RCN Edge
Technical planning, deployment and a 24/7 U.S.-based NOC.
Federal, state and cooperative routes for qualified buyers.
Wherever you are in the journey, start here.
Find practical answers organized by the situation that brought you here, the analog system you support, or your organization type.
Replace the POTS line. Keep the systems that matter.
Explore the four parts of a managed POTS line replacement, from the challenge facing existing building systems through the connection, resilience and ongoing RCN support.
Building systems may be functioning perfectly even as carriers retire the lines behind them. First identify the lines, applications and sites that need a replacement connection.
What happens during an RCN cutover? See the five service phases
- Assess Inventory lines, applications, site conditions and retire-or-replace decisions.
- Engineer Plan connectivity, voice profiles, E911 details and application-specific acceptance criteria.
- Provision Prepare gateway hardware and subscriptions, coordinate number porting and schedule access.
- Deploy and test Complete installation and functional signaling checks before approved cutover.
- Ongoing support Manage the service lifecycle, supported by RCN Edge visibility and RCN's NOC.
RCN engineering can support a site or lab proof of concept around your actual endpoint and acceptance criteria.
Visibility your old POTS lines never gave you.
Keep track of managed lines, service gateways, SIMs, asset locations and billing through one customer portal. RCN Edge also connects customers with the service support and ticketing workflows of RCN's NOC.
Real solutions for the facilities you manage.
Go deeper with POTS Link guidance and proof designed for the operating realities of your sector.
Code compliance is a design decision, not a checkbox.
RCN takes each life safety application’s required code into mind prior to the cutover. Whether it’s elevators, fire panels, or other emergency lines, rest assured RCN replaces your POTS lines effectively and compliantly.
NFPA 72Fire alarm communicationsPlan and test fire alarm signaling in accordance with the applicable standards and local acceptance requirements.
ASME A17Elevator emergency phonesConfirm required two-way communications and applicable emergency phone behavior for the installation.
E911Emergency calling & locationAddress proper emergency routing, registered location information and relevant federal obligations.
GSA EISFederal architecture guidanceConsider GSA POTS replacement recommendations as procurement and engineering guidance.
Outcomes matter more than promises.
RCN has helped organizations transition time-sensitive, multi-site communications while coordinating the real complexity of buildings, existing analog systems and emergency calling.
POTS lines replaced across 49 city facilities, with more than 100 unneeded lines cut along the way.
We're planning on continuing to use POTS Link as the standard for our new buildings.Ramsey Saad, City of Round RockRead the success story
Prosper ISD, TXSites moved off legacy lines, with two or three issues in more than three years.
Those lines used to be one of the most stressful things I had to deal with, and now it's barely on my radar.Dan Lovitt, Telecom Systems Administrator, Prosper ISDRead the success story
Buildings switched before a hard AT&T shutdown date, after two other vendors failed.
As soon as we found POTS Link, we were done with everyone else.Tim Patten, Communication Specialist, Wauwatosa School DistrictRead the success story
KCDC, Knoxville, TNOn POTS Link since 2020, now running KCDC's elevator emergency lines.
If it works, that's all you care about. And once you put it in place, you prefer it to stay quiet.Eric Bellamy, Knoxville's Community Development CorporationRead the success story
Replace Lines with contracts you use today
RCN offers POTS Link to government and education customers through federal, state, and cooperative contract options. Our contract team will work with your organization to ensure eligibility and streamline the procurement process
Start Planning your POTS Replacement
Keep research moving with self-service tools, practical guides and proof from real deployments.
POTS Shutdown Tracker
See which wire centers near you have POTS line retirement notices on file.
Check your area ToolPOTS Savings Calculator
Estimate what you would save by moving costly analog lines to POTS Link.
Estimate savings GuidePOTS Line Replacement Guide
How to inventory your lines, pick a replacement and plan the switch.
Get the guideExplore POTS Replacement Central
The 2027 POTS Replacement Bible
What code requires for fire alarm, elevator and 911 lines, plus a checklist for making the switch.
We never sell or share your information. A POTS specialist may reach out to help with your project.
Understand your options before you cut over.
Straight answers to the questions most organizations ask when replacing traditional POTS lines.
What are POTS lines?
POTS stands for Plain Old Telephone Service, traditional analog voice service used by telephones and many building systems. Some fire alarm panels, elevators, security devices and other specialized equipment still depend on compatible analog interfaces.
How does POTS line replacement work?
A service gateway supplies compatible analog signaling and uses a managed dial tone and dedicated internet circuit to route calls to the PSTN (public switched telephone network) instead of the legacy POTS line. RCN builds the service gateway, configures each line for its endpoint application, and coordinates installation and cutover for each site and line.
Is there a nationwide deadline to shut down all POTS lines?
No single nationwide deadline applies to every line. FCC rules have enabled carrier network transitions, while actual retirement timing depends on the carrier, wire center and relevant notices. Review your carrier communications and the POTS Shutdown Tracker.
Can I keep my existing alarm panel or elevator phone?
Often, yes, when the equipment and signaling requirements are compatible. Life-safety applications require appropriate engineering, functional testing, emergency location handling and any applicable AHJ approvals.
Does POTS Link work with multiple cellular carriers?
Our service gateway is compatible with all 3 major North American cellular carriers (AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile) and has dual-SIM architecture for multi-carrier deployments. RCN always deploys a multi-carrier second SIM with each service gateway, ensuring every POTS line being serviced has triple-carrier redundancy.
What does fully managed mean?
RCN coordinates design, hardware, communications service, provisioning, deployment and ongoing support through its U.S.-based Network Operations Center. RCN Edge adds customer-facing visibility into relevant service assets and tickets.
How much can I save by replacing POTS lines?
While actual savings vary by current monthly POTS line rates, many customers find replacing their POTS lines nets 40-50% savings on their monthly bills after the cutover is complete. More savings often come from identifying and cancelling lines no longer in use. Use our ROI calculator for a preliminary estimate and validate with a quote from the RCN team.
How fast can my organization deploy POTS Link?
Scheduling depends on site access, application testing, number porting, procurement and equipment readiness. RCN can plan accelerated deployments for urgent carrier notices, with the timeline confirmed during project assessment.
Ready to replace your POTS lines?
Share what you know about your lines, applications and facilities. Our specialists can help you prioritize what stays, what goes and how the remaining lines should transition.
What you get from a POTS replacement plan
- Share your sites, lines and the systems on them.
- A POTS specialist reviews the applications and the code each one has to meet.
- You get a written replacement plan with pricing, contract options and cutover steps.
Get a POTS Replacement Plan
We never sell or share your information. A POTS specialist will follow up to help plan your project.
POTS line replacement and full-stack wireless for government and business. 200 Jennings Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917.