⚠️ Time-sensitive · Ohio deadlines starting mid-2026
AT&T is decommissioning copper wire centers across Ohio on a published FCC-approved schedule. If your building has a fire alarm panel, an elevator emergency phone, an alarm panel that calls a monitoring station, or a fax machine that still actually rings, there’s a high probability you’re running on POTS lines that are about to disappear. We’ve audited dozens of Ohio buildings in the last 6 months and the average count is 4–12 POTS lines per location, almost all of them critical to building safety or business operations.
The deadline isn’t soft. When the wire center decomissions, the line stops working. Not slow, not degraded — gone. Your fire panel can’t reach the monitoring station, your alarm system fails its monthly test, your elevator emergency call goes nowhere. The AHJ failures and code violations that follow are expensive.
What’s actually happening
AT&T filed FCC notices starting in 2022 to retire its TDM-based copper voice network. The retirement happens wire center by wire center across Ohio. The first wave of Ohio decommissions starts mid-2026, with cascading cutoffs through 2026–2028 depending on your specific central office.
When your wire center shuts down, every POTS line served from it stops functioning. AT&T isn’t obligated to find you a replacement — the line is gone and the responsibility for migrating off it is on the building owner / business owner.
What’s probably still running on POTS in your building
These are the usual suspects. Most are under $50/month per line individually — easy to ignore until they stop working:
🔥 Fire alarm panels (DACT)
Your fire panel calls the central monitoring station over a phone line every time it tests or alarms. UL864-rated DACT lines are almost always POTS today.
🛗 Elevator emergency phones
Every passenger elevator in Ohio has an emergency phone wired to the cab. The phone calls out over a POTS line. ASME A17.1 code requires it work.
🚨 Burglar/security alarm
Security alarm panels phone out to the monitoring company over POTS. Many older systems don’t support IP/cellular backup natively.
📠 Fax machines
Yes, fax is still a thing — healthcare, legal, and insurance especially. The fax line itself is POTS. E-fax / cloud fax is the replacement.
🚪 Gate intercoms & access
Apartment/office gate intercoms that "dial" to authorize entry usually use POTS.
🔁 Modem-based circuits
Legacy POS, utility meter dial-back, generator monitoring, HVAC alarm dial-out — if it has a phone jack, it’s POTS.
Replacement paths — by device type
| Device | Compliant replacement | Monthly cost | One-time install |
|---|
| Fire alarm panel | Cellular failover (UL864-listed, AHJ-approved) | $50–$80/line | $400–$800/panel |
| Elevator phone | Cellular elevator phone unit (ASME A17.1-compliant) | $40–$70/car | $300–$600/car |
| Security alarm | Cellular communicator on alarm panel | $30–$60/line | $200–$400/panel |
| Fax | Cloud fax (e-fax, hosted fax-to-email) | $15–$40/line | $0–$100 setup |
| Modem-based circuit | Cellular IoT modem or replace with IP-based device | $20–$50/line | $150–$400/device |
| Gate intercom | Cellular intercom with mobile app | $30–$60/gate | $300–$1,200/gate |
The two compliance traps
"Just move it to VoIP"
Doesn’t work for fire panels (most won’t pass UL864 over SIP), elevator phones (ASME A17.1 requires battery backup and supervised line), or security alarm panels (most require dedicated supervised line).
"The cellular failover I bought last year"
Generic cellular modems don’t carry UL864/UL985 listings. AHJ won’t sign off. You need device-specific, code-compliant gear — usually from DMP, Telular, Honeywell, or similar.
Lead-time reality check. As of May 2026, cellular failover hardware lead times are at 12 weeks and rising. POTS-replacement specialists are fully booked. If you start the project in May, you can land by August. Wait until October and you’re looking at January — past several Ohio wire-center cutoff dates. Now is the right time.
How we run a POTS migration
1
POTS line audit
Pull your last 3 months of telecom invoices. We identify every POTS line, what it powers, and which wire center serves it.
2
AT&T sunset timeline check
We cross-reference your wire centers against the FCC retirement docket. Tells us how much time you have.
3
Per-device replacement plan
Code-compliant replacement spec’d for each device. Includes AHJ submission docs for fire panels and elevator phones.
4
Hardware procurement
We order from the right manufacturers for AHJ compliance. We carry lead-time risk.
5
Coordinated install
Fire panel installs require coordination with your fire monitoring company and AHJ. We handle.
6
Test & certify
Monthly test pass on every replaced device. AHJ re-inspection where required.
7
Decom old POTS lines
Once new system is verified working for 30 days, we file disconnects on the old POTS — saves you the recurring charge.
8
Annual recertification
Cellular signal strength changes, batteries age. We re-verify yearly.
9
Documentation handoff
Written record for your insurance carrier, fire marshal, and any future building sale.
Related reading from our blog
Free POTS-line audit — this is time-sensitive
Text or upload your most recent telecom invoices. We identify every POTS line on your bill, the wire center serving each, the AT&T sunset timeline for that wire center, and the code-compliant replacement path per device. Written report within 5 business days. No deck, no obligation. We’ll tell you exactly how much time you have.
Start the POTS audit →
Or call Jonathan directly: 614-224-2003
FAQ
When does AT&T sunset POTS lines in Ohio?
AT&T began the FCC-approved POTS retirement process in 2022. The first wave of wire-center decommissions in Ohio starts mid-2026, with full deprecation rolling through 2026–2028 depending on your specific central office. The exact cutoff date for your building depends on the wire center serving your address.
What devices in my building probably still use POTS?
The usual suspects: fire alarm panels (DACT lines to monitoring stations), elevator emergency phones, security alarm panels, fax machines, gate intercoms, modem-based alarm circuits, paging amps, and legacy point-of-sale credit-card terminals. Most are under $50/month per line individually — easy to ignore until they stop working.
Can I just move my fire panel to VoIP?
No. Most fire panels won’t pass UL864 over standard SIP trunks, and your AHJ won’t sign off. The two compliant paths are: (1) cellular failover hardware specifically rated for fire panel use, or (2) IP-based monitoring with a UL-listed gateway. We deploy both depending on the panel.
What’s the install timeline if I start now?
Cellular failover hardware lead times are at 12 weeks as of May 2026 (and rising). POTS-replacement specialists are booked out. If you start the project in May 2026, install can usually complete by August. If you wait until October, you’re looking at January — which is past some wire-center cutoff dates in Ohio.
What does POTS replacement cost?
Per-line costs vary by device: fire panel cellular failover runs $50–$80/month plus a $400–$800 one-time install per panel. Fax line replacement (e-fax or hosted) is typically $15–$40/month. Elevator phone migration is $40–$70/month per car. Hardware lead times and AHJ inspections drive total project timeline more than cost.
Can Buckeye Telecom audit which of my lines are at risk?
Yes — free. Send us your most recent telecom invoices (text to
614-224-2003) and we’ll identify every POTS line on your bill, what it powers in your building, the AT&T wire center serving it, and the recommended replacement path. Written report within 5 business days.