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As a home and business alarm system provider in Northern California, we at Denalect are dealing with AT&T’s recent rate hikes. If you also have plain old telephone service (POTS), aka a landline, at your home or business, you may have also noticed a spike as well. In some cases, AT&T is doubling or even tripling the rate for POTS lines. Why is this happening and how does it impact your alarm system? Keep reading to learn more.
In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a request (known as Forbearance Order 19-72A1) that allows phone and telecommunications carriers to abandon outdated and degrading copper analog POTS landlines. This means that carriers are no longer required to maintain landlines, nor are they required to make them available to their consumers.
Why are carriers abandoning POTS lines? Basically, the older copper lines are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain, especially with more and more businesses shifting to digital over the last decade. This also leaves existing businesses that still use POTS lines to pay the difference. Carriers are also raising rates to force customers off their landlines.
How does this impact your fire and/or burglar alarm system? Many older systems are supported by POTS lines. Here’s what we recommend you do to avoid paying these absorbent rate hikes:
- Look for notices from AT&T. By law AT&T must send you written notice of pending rate hikes.
- If you see your rates go up dramatically, contact Denalect as quickly as possible to see what alternate programs we can offer you to monitor your alarm system.
- In most cases, we can monitor your alarm using our two-way private radio network or a cellular alarm transmitter, bypassing the need to use a telephone lines.
Questions? You can contact our Business Office at 925-932-2211, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Denalect Alarm is proud to serve home and business security and alarm systems in Northern California: Antioch, Blackhawk, Concord, Danville, Dublin, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek