If your business still has a landline, a fax line, an alarm panel or an elevator phone, there is a good chance it runs on copper. AT&T has announced plans to retire most of its legacy copper network by the end of 2029, and Texas is part of that plan. When copper goes away in your area, every device on those lines needs a new connection.
The good news: the replacements are faster, more reliable and usually easier to manage. The key is to plan the switch before you get a retirement notice, not after.
What is changing
Copper phone lines, often called POTS (plain old telephone service), were built decades ago. They are expensive to maintain and they fail more often as they age. AT&T is replacing them with fiber and wireless networks that carry voice and data together.
When your service address is scheduled for retirement, AT&T sends a notice with a timeline. After that date, copper-based services at that address stop working.
What in your business uses copper
Walk your building and look for these:
- Main business phone lines and any line on a desk phone system older than about 10 years
- Fax machines, still common in medical, legal, insurance and real estate offices
- Alarm and fire panels that dial out to a monitoring center
- Elevator emergency phones
- Credit card terminals that use a phone line instead of internet
- Gate, door entry and call box systems
- DSL internet, which runs over the same copper
If you are not sure, check your phone bill. Line items labeled “business line,” “POTS” or a long list of individual phone numbers are a clue.
Your replacement options
Business fiber. If fiber is available at your address, it can carry your internet and your phone service (VoIP) together. It is the fastest and most future-proof option.
Wireless voice and data. For alarms, elevators, fax and call boxes, a wireless device can replace a single copper line. It connects to the cellular network and the equipment keeps working the same way.
Cloud phone system. Your existing phone numbers move to an internet-based phone system. Calls ring on desk phones, cell phones and computers, and you can manage everything from an app.
A simple 4-step plan
- Inventory every line. List each phone number and what it is connected to.
- Check fiber availability at your address.
- Match each line to a replacement: fiber, wireless or cloud phone.
- Schedule the switch so numbers are ported and devices tested before the copper is turned off.
Alarm and fire lines need special care. Coordinate with your monitoring company so you are never without coverage, even for a day.
Get a free line review
We help San Antonio businesses map every copper line and move it to fiber or wireless without downtime. Call 210-405-6109 or request a free connectivity review, and we will tell you exactly what needs to change at your address.
See business internet and wireless options · AT&T Business Internet in San Antonio
