On January 30, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted to allow telecoms to test VoIP networks as a replacement for POTS on a limited basis. The decision is seen as a major step forward in modernizing communications in the U.S., but concerns remain about whether or not an IP network can be as reliable in power outages and other unforeseen events as POTS has been.
According to Telecom TV’s Ian Scales, the desire to move to VoIP intensified after Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast U.S. in 2012, causing extensive damage to copper wiring. Prior to that incident, VoIP upgrading was moving at a slower pace.
Telecoms have been at a disadvantage for years, because regulations required that they maintain POTS infrastructure, even though many of their customers started switching to IP-based telephony years ago. The FCC (News - Alert) kept the regulations in place because the agency wanted to make sure that customers in more remote areas would still be able to have service. About 100 million people still use POTS.
Market and technological pressures seem to be so great now that not even the FCC can hold them back much longer. With VoIP, calls are cheaper, companies don’t have to maintain an in-house PBX and there is considerable flexibility in setting up phone numbers as physical location is irrelevant. It is much more profitable for the phone companies, since VoIP infrastructure is cheaper to install and maintain and the demand is so high.
One of the downsides of VoIP is its reliability in an emergency. POTS service is usually available during a power outage, but VoIP isn’t. Because it is location dependent, emergency dispatchers can locate the origin of 911 calls made through POTS lines. VoIP does not provide this and also offers little or no emergency call support.
This leaves several issues that have to be resolved before POTS can be discontinued. Emergency support has to be available and there has to be a solution to the problem of service interruption during power outages. The FCC must also ensure that remote areas are not underserved. Nevertheless, the days of POTS are numbered; the market and technological pressures are too great for it to stay around much longer.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson