You may have seen notifications from telecommunications providers about the upcoming end of traditional copper-based telephone lines (often called POTS lines) in Illinois. This transition is part of a broader industry move away from aging analog infrastructure toward modern digital communications solutions. (Citizens Utility Board)

While most people associate these changes with landline phone service, the impact goes deeper — especially for fire alarm, burglar alarm, CCTV/video surveillance, access control, critical process monitoring, and intercom systems that have historically relied on POTS connections.

Here are a few key things to know:

What’s Happening & When
Major carriers like AT&T are phasing out traditional landline service in Illinois, with many existing copper connections expected to be discontinued “on or after March 15, 2027.” As of late 2025, providers have already stopped taking new orders or changes for these legacy services. (Citizens Utility Board)

Why This Matters for Your Systems
Many critical safety and security technologies still depend on analog copper signaling:

• Fire Alarm panels that use POTS for supervisory or alarm signaling
• Burglar and Intrusion alarm communications
• Remote access for CCTV/event notification
• Access control and gate phone communications
• Intercom systems for entry and emergency response
• Elevator Emergency phone lines

When the underlying copper network is retired, those connections can quietly stop working — sometimes before property owners even realize it.

What’s Changing Technically
Modern digital alternatives — such as broadband-based voice (VoIP), cellular/LTE gateways, internet, private long range radio, or hybrid systems — are replacing legacy lines. These technologies are capable and widely available, but they behave differently than traditional POTS, especially in power-outage conditions without backup power. (Mettel)

Why Planning Matters
Unlike traditional analog telephone lines, modern alternatives require thoughtful planning around:

• redundancy and backup power (critical for fire alarm and security signaling)
• compatibility with your specific system hardware
• regulatory and inspection expectations
• locations with limited broadband vs. strong cellular coverage

Some alternate communications may not meet the requirements of local jurisdictions or insurance carriers. The goal isn’t just connectivity — it’s reliable and code-compliant system behavior under all conditions.   

If your facility still relies on copper lines for any of these systems, this isn’t something to wait on. Preparing now gives you control over how your systems communicate in the future, and helps avoid unexpected interruptions, inspection flags, or emergency signaling failures.