Home / Resources

Your phone company is retiring copper lines. What that means for your elevators and alarms.

October 2026 · QTech

If your building still has an old-style phone line running to the elevator, the alarm panel or the fax machine, that line is probably on borrowed time.

Phone companies have been shutting down their copper networks for years, and federal rules have made it easier for them. On September 9, 2026, Verizon asked the FCC for permission to discontinue copper phone service in parts of New York, starting on or after November 30, 2026, if approved. Building owners see three things: the monthly price of each copper line keeps going up, repairs take longer, and eventually a letter arrives saying the line will be disconnected.

Why this matters more for buildings than for offices

Office phones moved to the internet long ago. The lines left in most buildings are the ones nobody thinks about until they fail:

• Elevator emergency phones. A trapped passenger needs a working way to call for help. A dead line can fail inspection and take a car out of service.
• Alarm panels. Many burglar alarm panels still send signals to the alarm company over a phone line.
• Fire alarm panels. These have their own rules. Any replacement must be approved for that use where the building is located.
• Entry systems, fax lines and boiler or sprinkler dialers. Small lines, easy to forget.

What replaces a copper line

The most common replacement is a cellular POTS line: a small box mounted near the equipment, plugged into power, with a backup battery. Your elevator phone or alarm panel plugs into it the way it plugged into the wall jack, and the box carries the call over the cellular network instead of copper.

What to look for in a provider:

1. A licensed carrier behind the line. The service should come from a phone company with a real license.
2. A battery runtime you know. Ask how many hours the box runs without power, and get it in writing.
3. A price lock. Copper prices rise every year. A replacement line should not.
4. Line status alerts. These tell you when a box loses power or signal. They are not alarm monitoring; your alarm company still does that job.
5. Testing with your contractors. Your elevator or alarm company should test the equipment after the switch.

What it costs

Our cellular POTS lines are $44.95 per line per month on a 36-month term, with the box included, and $39.95 for portfolios of 5 or more lines. Month-to-month service is $59.95 per line plus $299 per box. See full pricing.

Before you get the disconnect letter

The easiest time to switch is before you’re forced to. Make a list of every phone line in the building, what it connects to and what you pay for it. If you’d like, we’ll do that audit with you for free.

POTS line service is provided and billed by QTel, a licensed New York carrier since 2001. QTech sells and installs it as QTel’s authorized agent. QTech does not provide alarm monitoring. Service needs building power or a working battery, and cellular coverage.