The term POTS stands for Plain Old Telephone Service, and it is commonly used to refer to landline voice telephone services provided to businesses over traditional copper lines. With the advancement of technology, these legacy phone systems are being replaced by VoIP services and other telecommunications services, but POTS lines still remain in many business phone systems.
POTS lines are simple and reliable – and these qualities are what have sustained the network for over a century. Originally deemed the “Post Office Telephone Service” the network of copper wire originally functioned as a direct means of communications between post offices. The post office would then deliver the message to the right party. It was only logical then that the post office would function as the first telephone “exchanges” as the solution grew. As the network grew, it was moved to an independent network. POTS lines really are surprisingly simple as they transfer sound as electrical waves across the copper wires with little to no disruptions (except for the occasional line cut or natural disaster taking down a line.)
How Do POTS Lines Work in Business Phone Systems?
When someone calls the business, the connection is made over a standard wired phone line and routed to the correct destination through the phone system’s switchboard. This type of phone service offers excellent sound quality with no lags or disruptions in service. In addition, businesses can use features such as call forwarding and call transfer to create a more efficient communication system. POTS Lines also connect Fax machines and power alarm systems and emergency elevator communications. POTS lines could be called the lifeblood of any business, providing that essential connection with customers and partners alike.
With the introduction of VoIP in the 90s originally as a cost reduction solution and as the technology grew quickly in popularity and increased reliability, the use of POTS lines waned. As POTS lines subscriptions fell the telcos were no longer able to maintain the lines that powered the network so were forced to raise rates. This, of course, caused an even faster decline of the POTS lines networks as more customers were pushed to VoIP solutions as a result.
How to Easily Replace POTS Lines in Business Phone Systems
It may seem overwhelming and complicated to replace your POTS Lines for your business but there is a surprisingly simple option. POTS Replacement devices.
POTS replacement devices work by connecting your analog POTS-hosted PBX business phone systems to the digital infrastructure. These devices have simplified the conversion process, reduced downtime as well as significantly reduced the cost of replacing aging POTS systems. POTS line Replacement systems provide a go-between from your current equipment to the new communications networks and translate the POTS signals to digital VoIP signals before sending them along the VoIP lines to the intended recipient. POTS replacement devices have a wide range of implementations, and reliably provide service for elevator alarms, fire, and burglar alarms as well as M2M, DTMF, Fax, and more. They also incorporate LTE failover solutions so you can access the best of both worlds and know that your business communications are covered. Contact us and start your transition now.
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