Why your provider may discourage POTS line replacement

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