Author: Designer

As the old saying goes, “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

Which is exactly how some of the bigger, older, TELCOs are treating the decommissioning of POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines, the analog copper infrastructure that runs everything from landlines to your fire and burglar alarms, faxes, elevators and point of sale systems.

In 2017 the FCC ruled it was ok for TELCOs to end their service for these lines if they provided an adequate alternative. And while the first iteration of change was the delivery of VoIP technology to replace landlines, getting rid of copper lines has become a priority for all TELCOs, especially among their business customers. But this poses a dilemma.

For years, some of the larger companies have made a killing by charging exorbitant sums to service POTS and since they don’t relish giving up the excess fees, their incentives are misaligned as they offer options for replacement.

Make no mistake, replacement must happen as TELCOs are accelerating their decommissioning across the country. So, even though you may not be interested in POTS replacement, POTS replacement is interested in you. There are essentially three options.

The three options for POTS replacement

First, stick with your POTS for as long as you can – this is the “see no evil” option. Here your TELCO will tell you there’s no rush, change is coming but you have time to wait. This is the preferred option for many providers since it allows them to continue overcharging you while they prepare for option two.

Replace your POTS with fiber. This is the “swat a fly with a sledgehammer” option, also a very good option for your provider because it allows them to lock you into long term, super expensive contracts with capability you don’t need and will never fully use.

Then there’s the third and least attractive option for some TELCOs since it will reduce their bill by at least 50%. It’s the “just right” option and it means replacing your POTS with a 5G/LTE wireless solution.

The advantage of working with a specialist

This is the approach MarketSpark and our partners have chosen since it saves our customers on both CapEx and OpEx while future proofing their business. It’s a proven approach, applicable for all life safety systems, deployed in all top 50 metros and among dozens of Fortune 500 companies.

And unlike a fiber solution the wireless solution can be customized to your particular needs. Which is why some TELCOs will argue against its usage and disparage specialists like us.

As a a managed service provider, MarketSpark handles everything bundling hardware, software, service fees and taxes into one low fee per line, delivered in one simple bill making the management of your TELCO service simpler than ever as well.

The solution comes with our cloud enabled command center providing unprecedented visibility into the status of all your lines and services 24/7. Since many older TELCOs have been charging you for lines you don’t use anymore, this increased transparency is an additional benefit to the solution.

So, take a look at a 5g/LTE solution for your enterprise, as it turns out, there are more tools in the toolbox than a hammer, and everything is not a nail.

For more information visit marketspark.com

Changing regulations accelerate cloud-delivered LTE/5G wireless connectivity to generate immediate cost savings

SAN DIEGO, California, April 13, 2021 – MarketSpark, the industry leading provider of POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) replacement in the enterprise announced its delivery of LTE/5G connectivity as a managed service. MarketSpark will integrate Cradlepoint’s 4G and 5G wireless network edge solutions into its managed service solution portfolio, providing Telco-Grade connectivity while replacing aging analog infrastructures. Enterprises can leverage this powerful combination of wireless reach and reliability for life-safety applications to future-proof their business and accelerate their network transformation.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has set the groundwork for shutting down legacy analog networks nationwide, supporting the migration to an all-digital network. Wireline carriers have followed suit, publishing network disclosures revealing an accelerated decommissioning schedule. Forward-looking enterprises are getting ahead of the shutdown by switching to POTS over LTE/5G solutions that deliver immediate cost savings and productivity enhancements. This includes migrating POTS lines supporting fire panels, alarms, elevators, fax machines, SCADA applications as well as a host of other terminals utilizing legacy analog communications protocols.

By integrating Cradlepoint’s portfolio of wireless edge routers within MarketSpark’s Managed Service Platform, enterprises secure the integrity of a world-class router in concert with MarketSpark’s scalable delivery service leveraging Wireless WAN, including LTE and 5G connected branch sites, vehicles, and IoT devices.

“Enterprises no longer need to be constrained by the cost or limitations of deploying analog lines to deliver reliable life-safety connectivity at existing or new locations,” says Jeff Gower, CEO of MarketSpark. “By combining Cradlepoint’s leading LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions with MarketSpark’s platform-based management services, Fortune 500 enterprises are reaping the benefits of an intelligent wireless network to supplant POTS service. This is one of those unique cases where the replacement solution is smarter, more reliable and 20% – 50% less costly from the day of deployment.”

The COVID pandemic has prompted a sudden shift in priorities across enterprises. As companies restructure their operations, speed has become a strategic lever to securing building occupancy in new or refurbished locations. Cradlepoint and MarketSpark address these needs by offering the full breadth of analog applications throughout distributed enterprises as diverse as healthcare, financial services, and retail. MarketSpark’s scalable deployment service enables enterprises to quickly maximize ROI. The result is a Telco-Grade, platform-based solution that is easy to centrally provision and manage, utilizes secure and redundant networks for all applications and ensures seamless productivity everywhere you receive a cellular signal.

“With the rise of 5G, we see wireless becoming a significant part of the hyper-connected enterprise and next-generation WANs,” says Eric Purcell, SVP of Partners and Alliances at Cradepoint. “MarketSpark is a recognized leader in scalable POTS replacement and we are excited to offer a combined solution that extends our Cradlepoint offering to their versatile solution for enterprise networks everywhere.”

MarketSpark’s new Cradlepoint-enabled solutions are available now with any enterprise analog replacement deployment.

About MarketSpark
MarketSpark is the leading provider of analog replacement solutions for the enterprise. Our cloud-enabled platform helps companies escape from the world of yesterday and prepare for the world of tomorrow by replacing static, costly copper telephone lines (POTS) with a managed wireless solution that is 5G ready. MarketSpark is the only MSP in the telecom space purpose built to handle analog line replacement on a global scale. Whether retrofitting or building new, we give our customers a platform for growth. Oh, and the ROI is immediate www.marketspark.com

Why Cellular Connections Work Best

Phone line connections are critical in the case of an emergency. They ensure that uninterrupted contact is established between the distressed party and responders. In fact, the very idea of effective rescue deployment hinges upon the dependability of these phone connections.

Now that traditional analog copper phone lines (otherwise known as plain old phone lines) are being phased out, companies are looking at security solutions that utilize alternate communication methods. Two modern technologies of note are cellular and VoIP (Voice over internet protocol) lines.  But which solution is best for a two-way communication in elevator panels and blue light emergency systems?

The Differences Between VoIP & Cellular Lines

Both lines involve the formatting of audio into signals that are carried along to a receiving party before reverting to audible form. This, however, may be the only real similarity between the two.

VoIP lines work via the internet and have become popular due to their substantially lower cost compared to traditional lines. Additionally, VoIP lines are often marketed and sold by internet service providers as part of a bundle package deal.

The major difference between cellular and VoIP lies in the way that data signals are transmitted. VoIP functions using a packet-switched network while cellular lines work with a circuit-switched network. In circuit networks, a line is protected from extraneous traffic while remaining open.

However, VoIPs send data through public and private networks (the same way the internet works) in smaller fragmented data packets which may lead to possible distortions and inconsistencies caused by surrounding traffic and diverging traffic routes. Security is yet another issue.

Non-encrypted data packages from VoIP may be hijacked by malicious internet users or subjected to distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS), which occurs when a line is deliberately overloaded with disruptive requests that jam its connection.

When a malicious caller distorts the quality of a call (call-tempering) by attempting to add noise packets to the line or delay data packets from reaching its intended target, VoIP lines are particularly vulnerable. Under these circumstances, VoIP calls can become uninterpretable.  As explained, VoIP lines may leave distressed parties more vulnerable within a compromised location.

On the contrary, cellular phone lines connect callers through a dedicated line managed by telecommunication companies, which ensures data consistency.

Time-Sensitivity in Security Systems

Elevator, alarm system, or blue light emergencies involve time-sensitive activation of assistance. On top of risks in security breaches, VoIP lines may contain echoes and frequency distortions that can delay the transmission of a call and rescue efforts.

Another thing to consider is the presence of a backup power source. VoIP lines are dependent on running power in sustaining the internet online, which means that a blackout may compromise the safety of your security system by taking the VoIP offline. This does not occur with cellular lines, which continue to offer emergency call options during power outages.

Therefore, it is important for business owners to consider the replacement of old landlines with cellular lines for an effective and reliable solution for their security systems.

If you’re a company and enterprise that still relies on the services from the legacy landline network, it’s time get ahead of the curve, start your POTS replacement activities, and move to the convenience, service, and speed that digital systems provide. MarketSpark offers a 4G/LTE, enterprise-class solution for your POTS replacement – delivering a 100% uptime guarantee with real-time insight into every line via a customer dashboard monitoring portal. Interested in replacing those old copper lines (the ones in fire alarms, elevators, point-of-sale terminals, and elsewhere) in commercial buildings? MarketSpark delivers brand-new, super-reliable LTE Connections as a managed service. Click here to see what we can do for you today!

For generations, America’s analog phone lines network – the country-spanning copper-wire landline connections for the first iteration of mass telephone communication – served the population ably. Through those copper wires, you, your parents, and your grandparents dialed long-distance, “dialed down the middle,” ordered pizza, chatted with friends, called 1-800 numbers, and much more. The development of the phone system is a testament to American ingenuity, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit.

With the dawn of the digital-driven 20th century, however, the traditional copper-wire landline system that you may have grown up with is rapidly changing. This “legacy network” of landlines is being replaced, bit by bit, by a universal broadband phone system. This new, digital framework will provide communities throughout the United States with the high-speed access they need for modern conveniences. On the whole, we can term this changeover from the analog phone system to the new digital framework as POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) Replacement.

This is something that companies need to be ready for. So, what exactly is this transition – and how can you prepare for it?

Out with the Old Network…

The traditional copper landline network worked well for the country for years. However, the traditional system has neither the capacity, speed, or service that more modern technology like VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) can offer. Combined with the fact that a vast majority of Americans are switching to cellular phones or internet-based devices as their full-time communication devices (as of 2018, only around five percent of the country was landline only – and over half of the country is cellphone-only), and you have a recipe for massive change.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) heard the groundswell of change years ago and acted on it. FCC orders – voted on in 2014 – set the groundwork for a four-year proceeding, shutting down the legacy analog phone system and moving to a brand-new, all-digital network. By 2020, the FCC intends for America to move from traditional copper landlines and into a mix of digital platforms.

An important thing to note here: this won’t mean that people will lose service. Rather, telephone companies throughout the nation now have the okay to take out the ancient copper wiring and move to a low cost, digital network for their customers. This has already happened in several places throughout the country. In 2017, for example, AT&T received permission from the state of Illinois to move their remaining traditional landline customers off the legacy network and on to digital.

…and in with the New Network

If you’re a company and enterprise that still relies on the services from the legacy landline network, it’s time get ahead of the curve, start your POTS replacement activities, and move to the convenience, service, and speed that digital systems provide. MarketSpark offers a 4G/LTE, enterprise-class solution for your POTS replacement – delivering a 100% uptime guarantee with real-time insight into every line via a customer dashboard monitoring portal. Interested in replacing those old copper lines (the ones in fire alarms, elevators, point-of-sale terminals, and elsewhere) in commercial buildings? MarketSpark delivers brand-new, super-reliable LTE Connections as a managed service. Click here to see what we can do for you today!