The Real Cost of Keeping POTS Lines

06/29/2026 | Abilita |

Consider a business with 5 locations, each supporting:

  • An elevator emergency phone
  • A fire alarm panel
  • A security system
  • A fax machine or legacy device
  • A building access or monitoring system

This results in 25 active POTS lines across the organization.

Five Years Ago

Average cost per line: $35/month

25 lines × $35 = $875/month

Annual cost: $10,500

Today

Average cost per line: $95/month

25 lines × $95 = $2,375/month

Annual cost: $28,500

The Impact

Annual increase: $18,000

Over five years: $90,000 in additional spending

And the business is still relying on the same aging copper infrastructure.

After a POTS Replacement Project

Assume modern replacement services cost approximately $35/month per connection.

25 connections × $35 = $875/month

Annual cost: $10,500

Potential Savings

Current annual cost: $28,500

New annual cost: $10,500

Annual savings: $18,000

Five-year savings: $90,000

Beyond the Savings

The financial impact is only part of the story.

Modern POTS replacement solutions can also provide:

  • Improved reliability
  • Cellular backup options
  • Remote monitoring and alerts
  • Reduced outage risk
  • Better visibility across locations
  • Support for compliance and life-safety applications
  • Future-proof connectivity as carriers retire copper networks

For many organizations, the biggest surprise isn’t the monthly bill—it’s discovering how many POTS lines they still have and how much those legacy services are costing the business each year.

Note: Actual costs vary by carrier and location, but many organizations have experienced substantial increases as carriers encourage migration away from copper-based services. This example is intended to illustrate the business impact rather than represent a universal price point.

The question isn’t whether POTS lines should be replaced.

The question is how much longer your organization wants to keep paying for them.

Abilita can help identify every POTS line, evaluate replacement options, and build a migration plan that reduces costs while minimizing operational risk.