The FCC’s decision to allow carriers to retire legacy copper networks is creating urgency for enterprises still running analog fax. If your organization relies on POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines for fax, the economics are about to change dramatically.
The POTS Line Reality
What’s Happening
The FCC has progressively relaxed regulations requiring carriers to maintain legacy copper infrastructure. Key developments:
- 2019: FCC allows carriers to discontinue legacy services with notice
- 2022: Carriers begin accelerating copper retirement
- 2024: Major carriers announcing market-by-market POTS discontinuation
- 2025+: Widespread copper network retirement expected
Impact on Pricing
As carriers reduce investment in copper infrastructure:
| Year | Typical POTS Line Cost | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $35-50/month | Stable |
| 2022 | $50-75/month | Rising |
| 2024 | $75-150/month | Steep increase |
| 2026 | $150-300/month (projected) | Accelerating |
Some enterprises report receiving POTS line price increase notices of 200-400% as carriers try to accelerate migration off legacy networks.
Service Availability
Beyond price, availability is declining:
- New POTS line provisioning increasingly difficult
- Repair response times extending
- Some areas already without POTS option
- Quality degradation as investment decreases
Who’s Affected
High-Impact Organizations
Healthcare
- Medical offices with dedicated fax lines
- Hospitals with high-volume fax operations
- Clinics in older buildings with analog infrastructure
Financial Services
- Bank branches with fax machines
- Mortgage companies with document-heavy workflows
- Insurance offices with claims processing
Legal
- Law firms with court filing requirements
- Courts themselves (especially rural)
- Government agencies with fax dependencies
Manufacturing/Logistics
- EDI backup via fax
- Supply chain document exchange
- Quality documentation transmission
The Common Scenario
Organization has:
- 10-50 POTS lines for fax
- Annual cost: $6,000-30,000
- Legacy fax machines or servers
- No immediate migration plan
Projected scenario:
- Lines jump to $150-300 each
- Annual cost: $18,000-180,000
- Plus increasing reliability issues
- Forcing reactive migration under pressure
Migration Options
Option 1: Cloud Fax (Recommended)
Complete migration to cloud fax platform.
How it works:
- Port existing fax numbers to cloud provider
- Users send/receive via email, web, or API
- No physical lines required
- Integration with existing systems
Advantages:
- Eliminates POTS dependency entirely
- Modern features (encryption, audit trails)
- Predictable per-user or per-page pricing
- Remote access capability
Timeline: 4-12 weeks typical
Option 2: SIP/VoIP Fax
Migrate analog fax to SIP trunking.
How it works:
- Replace POTS lines with SIP trunks
- May require ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter)
- Fax machines/servers continue operating
- IP-based transmission
Advantages:
- Preserves existing fax infrastructure
- Lower cost than POTS
- Can be intermediate step to cloud
Challenges:
- Fax over IP can be unreliable
- T.38 protocol support varies
- Not all SIP providers support fax well
- Doesn’t address other infrastructure limitations
Timeline: 2-8 weeks typical
Option 3: Hybrid Approach
Combination of cloud and SIP.
How it works:
- High-volume operations to cloud fax
- Low-volume standalone machines to SIP
- Gradual migration path
Advantages:
- Phased transition reduces risk
- Addresses highest-cost lines first
- Time to plan full migration
Timeline: Varies by scope
Migration Planning
Step 1: Inventory (Week 1-2)
Document current state:
- List all POTS lines used for fax
- Note current costs
- Identify associated equipment
- Map to business processes
- Document integration requirements
Step 2: Assessment (Week 2-4)
Evaluate options:
- Get quotes from cloud fax providers
- Assess SIP provider fax capabilities
- Calculate TCO for each option
- Evaluate integration requirements
- Consider timeline constraints
Step 3: Selection (Week 4-6)
Make migration decision:
- Compare solutions against requirements
- Negotiate contracts
- Plan implementation approach
- Secure stakeholder approval
- Allocate resources
Step 4: Implementation (Week 6-16)
Execute migration:
- Configure new solution
- Build integrations
- Port fax numbers
- Train users
- Validate operation
- Decommission POTS lines
ROI Analysis
Example: 20 POTS Lines
Current State:
- 20 POTS lines at $75/month = $18,000/year
- Projected 2026: $200/month = $48,000/year
Cloud Fax Alternative:
- Implementation: $10,000 (one-time)
- Annual service: $12,000
- Total Year 1: $22,000
- Annual ongoing: $12,000
Savings:
- vs. current POTS: $6,000/year
- vs. projected 2026 POTS: $36,000/year
Break-even: 20 months at current rates; 4 months at projected rates
Additional Value
Beyond direct cost savings:
- Elimination of hardware maintenance
- Remote work capability
- Modern security features
- Integration possibilities
- Reduced IT support burden
Urgency Assessment
Act Now If:
- Receiving POTS price increase notices
- In market where carriers are retiring copper
- Have many POTS lines for fax
- Current fax infrastructure aging
- Compliance requirements increasing
Can Wait If:
- Few POTS lines (1-2)
- Recently signed long-term telecom contract
- Major system changes planned anyway
- Cloud fax already in implementation
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Waiting Too Long
Organizations that wait until POTS service degrades or prices spike face:
- Rushed migration with higher risk
- Less negotiating leverage
- Potential service disruption
- Reactive rather than strategic approach
Mistake 2: Assuming SIP Solves Everything
SIP can help, but:
- Fax over IP can be unreliable
- Quality varies significantly by provider
- May just delay inevitable cloud migration
- Doesn’t address other fax limitations
Mistake 3: Ignoring Integration Requirements
Migration planning must include:
- ERP/EHR integration needs
- Workflow dependencies
- Number porting requirements
- User training needs
Mistake 4: Underestimating Change Management
Even straightforward migrations require:
- User communication
- Training on new processes
- Updated documentation
- Support during transition
The Bottom Line
POTS line pricing changes aren’t speculation—they’re happening now. Organizations relying on analog fax lines face a choice: migrate proactively under favorable conditions, or react under pressure when costs spike or service degrades.
The window for strategic, planned migration is narrowing. Organizations acting now have more options, better pricing, and lower risk than those forced to react later.
Concerned about POTS line costs for your fax operations? Let’s discuss your migration options.
