Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about AT&T copper retirement and what it means for your building.
What happens when AT&T retires copper in my area?
AT&T sends advance notice (typically 180 days) and requires customers to migrate to an alternative service. If you don't act, your POTS service is disconnected. For fire alarms, elevators, and other life-safety systems, this means the device loses its phone connection - which may violate local codes and insurance requirements.
What are my compliance obligations when POTS is retired?
Fire alarm panels must maintain a monitored connection to a central station or fire department - this is required by NFPA 72 and local codes. Elevator emergency phones must connect to a live operator per ASME A17.1. When POTS is retired, building owners must replace these connections with a compliant alternative before the retirement date.
How do I know if my wire center is scheduled for retirement?
AT&T publishes retirement notices on clec.att.com. We scrape these filings nightly and make them searchable by state. Browse your state on this site to see which wire centers are affected. You can also look up a specific phone number using our POTSAudit tool.
What is a wire center (CLLI code)?
A wire center is AT&T's basic geographic unit for copper service - it's the central office that physically serves your address. CLLI codes (Common Language Location Identifier) identify each wire center with an 8-character code: 4 characters for city, 2 for state, 2 for building. For example, DLLSTXAD = Dallas, TX, building AD.
What's the best POTS replacement for fire alarm panels?
Cellular POTS replacers like Ooma AirDial are the most drop-in compatible option - they plug into the existing RJ-11 jack and connect via cellular, so no rewiring is needed. They're UL-listed for fire alarm monitoring. VoIP alternatives require careful evaluation for fire alarm use since NFPA 72 has specific requirements.
How long do I have before my service is disconnected?
AT&T typically provides 180 days notice before disconnecting service. However, some wire centers have already had retirement dates set for 2025-2026. Check your state page to see specific retirement dates.
Does this affect all phone providers or just AT&T?
This tracker focuses on AT&T since they are the largest incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) and have been the most aggressive in filing copper retirement notices. Other carriers like Lumen (CenturyLink) and Frontier have similar programs in their service areas.
What if my address is not in a listed wire center?
A wire center not appearing in our list means AT&T has not filed a retirement notice for it yet - not that it's safe forever. We recommend checking back periodically as AT&T continues to expand their retirement program.
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