Did you know that approximately 40 million Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines are still in use across the U.S. for voice and critical services like elevators and alarms? The FCC’s 2019 decision to deregulate pricing and remove the requirement for carriers to offer and maintain POTS Lines have set the stage for a significant shift in the telecommunications landscape.
The result? A looming POTS sunset.
As regulatory challenges mount and costs skyrocket for maintaining aging POTS systems, businesses face additional hurdles:
- Increasing monthly fees for a POTS line
- Complex billing from multiple carriers with varying rates
- Challenges in managing POTS lines in multi-site
- Aging infrastructure that is difficult to maintain
- Lack of scalability and flexibility
- Limited features
- And more…
Introducing RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement – our cloud-based, comprehensive solution for modernizing your communication infrastructure. Seamlessly migrate from outdated copper lines without disrupting critical services, while unlocking new capabilities and efficiencies with RingCentral.
What is RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement?
RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement solution connects traditional phones, fax machines, and specialty endpoint devices, such as emergency alarms, point-of-sale systems, and security systems, to the cloud. It enhances service quality by migrating from outdated copper lines to high-redundancy and best-in-class IP infrastructure.
This allows these devices to benefit from cloud capabilities, enhancing reliability with built-in redundancy, scalability to easily adjust lines and features, and advanced functionality like real-time analytics and mobile access to future-proof your business.
RingCentral provides a seamless replacement solution for POTS lines – all managed through RingCentral’s comprehensive cloud platform, simplifying management and reducing the risk of outages.
Why choose RingCentral for your POTS replacement?
1. Reduce costs
As POTS lines become more expensive, RingCentral POTS Replacement offers a more cost-effective alternative – without replacing your existing analog equipment.
Our pay-as-you-use model ensures you only pay for what you need, significantly reducing costs. Your predictable monthly service rate includes installation, hardware, software, service and support. By consolidating your POTS replacement and communication services under one provider, you streamline financial management, eliminate unnecessary overheads, and enjoy a stress-free migration on your terms.
2. Simplify management with one trusted provider
Companies may face the need for multiple POTS providers due to location restrictions, which results in fragmented systems, inconsistent pricing, invoicing, monitoring, and support.
RingCentral provides a unified solution and offers a seamless way to modernize your infrastructure, unifying analog-based lines with modern collaboration tools like cloud phone, video meetings, and team messaging in a single app.
This makes it easier to oversee your entire communication infrastructure – from legacy analog equipment, specialty-line services, to business communications.
3. Maintain reliability and compliance
Although traditional POTS lines have a history of reliability, their aging infrastructure is becoming hard to maintain, making reliable connectivity and high-quality voice service non-negotiable. RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement solution is integrated with RingCentral’s trusted communications platform with over five years of 99.999% uptime, ensuring calls are encrypted and comply with strict data security standards.
The POTS Replacement device is also meticulously designed to meet and exceed the stringent requirements for life safety transmission compliance, offering peace of mind with built-in battery backup and optional cellular connectivity to your life-safety devices to safeguard business continuity, even during outages.
4. Easy scaling
Traditional POTS lines require individual updates and management, providing limited upgrade and enhancement capabilities as businesses grow.
However, with a next-gen POTS replacement solution from RingCentral, you can easily add new lines, sites, and features as your business expands – without significant infrastructure changes and interruption. This includes integrating with your existing telephone network and telephony infrastructure, providing flexibility and efficiency every step of the way.
5. Future-proof and maximize ROI
With RingCentral, you can seamlessly replace traditional POTS lines and enjoy the benefits of a modern and feature-rich cloud communication platform. For example, get advanced capabilities like real-time analytics and mobile access to boost productivity, or powerful AI to future-proof your business against market volatility.
Key capabilities of RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement
RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement works by using an enterprise-grade device that connects to your existing analog phones and specialty endpoint devices. Its capabilities include:
- Supports voice lines: Connects to analog phones and fax machines to support secure cloud voice and fax services.
- Supports specialty lines: Works with specialty endpoint devices like fire alarm panels, emergency elevator phones, point-of-sale systems, and more.
- Emergency backup: Built-in battery that provides up to 48 hours of power failover and an optional LTE connection.
- Phone features: Auto-attendant, voicemail, music on hold, caller ID, call hold, transfer, blocking, forwarding, waiting, and more.
- Unlimited calling: Unlimited domestic calling in the US and Canada.
- Internet fax: Send and receive faxes over the cloud or to fax machines.
Act fast before the POTS sunset is complete
As the telecommunications landscape continues to evolve, businesses must act fast to stay ahead. RingCentral empowers businesses to transition from traditional PBX systems to the cloud at their own pace, offering hybrid solutions that connect legacy equipment with modern cloud technology. By consolidating all communication needs under RingCentral, businesses benefit from a single, trusted provider for cloud migration, simplifying management and reducing complexity.
RingCentral Next-Gen POTS Replacement is now in controlled availability, as an add-on to RingEX, in the U.S. only.
Originally published Aug 06, 2024
