Is Your Analog Line Replacement Plan Ready for AT&T’s Exit?
You’re not imagining it—outages are more frequent, repair windows are longer, and analog line costs keep climbing. Yet you still need those lines for faxes, alarms, elevators, and other systems that don’t fit neatly into the cloud.
Now AT&T and other carriers are actively phasing out copper infrastructure. That puts public agencies, healthcare providers, and financial institutions in a tough spot: how do you modernize without disrupting the mission-critical systems you depend on every day?
At Affiliated Communications, we’re helping compliance-driven teams make that transition with analog line replacement strategies that protect what works, eliminate what doesn’t, and prepare your voice infrastructure for what’s next.
Analog Isn’t a Backup Plan Anymore—It’s a Liability
AT&T is actively sunsetting its copper network, aiming to retire traditional landline services across most of its footprint by 2029. That means no new repairs, no line replacements, and no guarantee your trunks will keep working when something breaks. Other carriers are following suit—and in many regions, support has already disappeared.
This isn’t just a vendor update. It’s a national shift. In 2019, the FCC’s Order 19-72A1 gave telecoms permission to retire Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines without replacing them. In this year 2025, rule changes further reduced the required customer notice from 180 days to 90, leaving even less time to plan.
At Affiliated Communications, we’ve seen what that looks like up closely. Some clients receive just weeks of notice before a disconnection. Others face multi-day outages, waiting for replacement parts that no longer exist—or trying to find a technician who still works on legacy systems.
And it’s not just about dropped calls.
- Hospitals experience failed faxes that delay patient care coordination.
- Municipal offices run into number porting issues that jeopardize public accessibility.
- Public safety teams lose visibility during critical alerts.
These systems weren’t designed to run unsupported—and once they’re gone, there’s no “reset” button.
Organizations that still rely on analog lines for fax, alarm, elevator, and emergency communications are facing rising risk with shrinking options. And when an outage happens, it’s too late to start evaluating replacements.
We help compliance-focused organizations navigate this shift without disruption. We work with IT leaders, telecom teams, and facilities directors to assess what’s at risk, what needs to stay analog, and how to build a replacement plan that preserves uptime and budget.
Why SIP Trunking Is the Practical Replacement for Analog?
As analog lines fade out, organizations need a voice solution that won’t collapse under the next outage—or fail an audit. SIP trunking is that solution.
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunking replaces copper phone lines with internet-based voice. Calls are routed securely through your existing data connection instead of legacy infrastructure, giving you more flexibility, visibility, and control.
SIP trunking offers flexibility not just in technology but in service options. Organizations can choose from a range of service types—starting with cost-effective VoIP lines for basic analog sets, and scaling up to fully compliant lines for critical systems like fire panels, security lines, and elevators.
No matter the configuration, every SIP option offers significant cost savings over AT&T’s legacy lines—ensuring compliance, continuity, and budget efficiency.
Unlike a full cloud voice migration, SIP doesn’t require a complete overhaul. It integrates with your existing PBX system, supports hybrid environments, and keeps key analog devices—like fax machines and elevator phones—connected through on-site gateways.
That makes SIP ideal for hospitals, city offices, and financial institutions that need to modernize without risking disruption.
Built for Compliance, Not Just Convenience
Regulatory mandates have shifted. Whether you’re aligning to HIPAA, CJIS, PCI, FFIEC, or NIST, compliance now requires:
- Encrypted voice communication
- Centralized call logging and retention
- Failover and disaster recovery options
SIP trunking supports all of it—and when properly deployed, can exceed the protections your analog systems once offered, without their complexity or upkeep.
Affiliated Communications ensures your SIP configuration aligns with industry-specific compliance requirements from day one—no scrambling, no guesswork.
Fire Alarm and Security System Compliance
For organizations relying on analog lines to support life-safety systems like fire alarms, elevators, and security panels, compliance isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Affiliated Communications supports NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, which governs how fire alarm signals must be transmitted. Under this standard, traditional analog lines (POTS) are no longer the only accepted method. Instead, NFPA 72 recognizes modern alternatives, provided they meet reliability requirements.
We deliver solutions that align with these compliance mandates, including:
- Managed Facilities-based Voice Network (MFVN): A telecom-grade voice service that replicates the reliability of traditional landlines while using modern digital infrastructure. MFVN is explicitly recognized by NFPA 72 as a compliant method for transmitting fire alarm signals.
- Cellular and VoIP-Based Alarm Transports: These alternatives offer cost-efficiency and flexibility and are also compliant when properly configured.
- Certified SIP Solutions with On-Site Gateways: We ensure reliable, code-compliant connections for fire alarm panels, elevator lines, and security systems—even during power or network outages.
Whether you’re overseeing a hospital campus, municipal facility, or financial institution, we make sure your transition plan supports life-safety signal integrity—and that it holds up during audits and inspections.
Financially Smarter from Day One
SIP isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s a budget reset.
- Eliminate legacy per-line analog fees
- Reduce dispatch and emergency repair costs
- Consolidate voice and data traffic onto a single circuit
Most organizations save 30% to 50% in monthly telecom costs after migrating from analog. And unlike analog, you only pay for what you use—no stranded capacity, no bloated contracts.
With Affiliated’s One Bill Program, you also gain simplified, transparent invoicing across all voice services: SIP, PBX, hybrid, and support.
Designed to Scale and Adapt
Need to add 10 new lines for a growing department? Or scale back during lean budget cycles? SIP makes it easy—no physical installs, no technician delays.
Better yet, SIP enables true business continuity features that analog can’t match:
- Auto-failover routing during outages
- Real-time usage tracking
- Dynamic bandwidth allocation
So, whether it’s a power failure or an audit notice, your voice systems keep running—and reporting.
Built for Transition, Not Turbulence
Affiliated Communications has helped dozens of hospitals, school districts, and financial firms replace analog lines without downtime. We specialize in:
- Preserving critical analog functions (elevator lines, alarms, faxes) with compliant on-site gateways
- Integrating with existing infrastructure, including hybrid and premise-based PBX
- Zero-downtime cutovers, with full number portability and service overlap
We don’t ask clients to change everything overnight. We help them prioritize, plan, and move at the right pace—with no disruptions and no regrets.
What Happens If You Wait?
Organizations delaying analog trunk replacement are already feeling the strain.
We’ve seen public sector teams and healthcare providers lose service to critical lines—sometimes without warning. And when legacy lines go dark, there’s no technician or repair ticket that can bring them back.
Here’s what that delay actually looks like:
- Missed faxes and failed transmissions in patient care and municipal recordkeeping
- Alarm system disconnects that jeopardize building occupancy and life-safety compliance
- Lost numbers due to rushed ports or unavailable legacy handoffs
- Extended outages during emergencies because fallback systems weren’t in place
One hospital system we recently spoke with received a discontinuation letter on a Friday—with a cutoff date less than 60 days away. They had critical alarms still running on copper and no plan in place.
That’s not a transition—that’s damage control.
Affiliated Communications helps compliance-driven organizations avoid these scramble-mode migrations. We work with your team to stage replacements, preserve essential numbers, and design a phased plan that keeps systems online—even during porting.
The best time to act isn’t after the shutoff notice. It’s before the countdown starts.
Next Steps Don’t Have to Be Complicated
The AT&T sunset is already underway. For hospitals, school districts, financial institutions, and government agencies still holding on to analog lines, the clock isn’t just ticking—it’s nearly run out.
This isn’t a simple swap of lines. It’s a shift in how you manage voice, compliance, and resilience across your organization. And when outages hit or support disappears, it’s too late to start planning.Affiliated Communications helps compliance-driven teams move from analog to SIP—with no surprises, no finger-pointing, and no downtime.
We’ve helped organizations:
- Replace legacy phone lines without touching life-safety systems
- Preserve analog endpoints with on-site gateways
- Cut telecom spend by up to 50%
- Meet HIPAA, CJIS, and FFIEC voice requirements
- Consolidate vendors and billing through our One Bill Program
You Don’t Have to Rush—or Risk Downtime. Contact Affiliated Communications Today!
The analog sunset isn’t just a telecom issue. It’s a risk to compliance, patient care, emergency systems, and budget performance. But replacing copper lines doesn’t mean overhauling everything.
Affiliated Communications helps public sector teams, hospitals, and financial institutions replace legacy trunks with SIP—securely, gradually, and without disrupting your existing systems. We work with what you have, preserve the services you rely on, and help you plan for what’s next.
Talk to us about a transition strategy that fits your budget, timeline, and compliance needs. We’ll help you stay ahead—before support runs out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Analog Trunk Replacement
- What is analog trunk replacement?
Analog trunk replacement involves transitioning from traditional copper-based phone lines to digital alternatives like SIP trunking, enhancing call quality and reducing costs. - Why is AT&T phasing out analog phone lines?
AT&T is retiring its copper network to modernize infrastructure, aiming to complete the phase-out by the end of 2029. - What is SIP trunking and how does it work?
SIP trunking uses the internet to transmit voice calls, connecting your existing phone system to the public telephone network without traditional phone lines. - When will AT&T shut off analog phone service?
AT&T plans to discontinue analog services across most areas by the end of 2029, with some regions experiencing earlier shutdowns. - What systems are impacted by analog line shutdowns?
Systems like fax machines, fire alarms, elevators, and emergency phones that rely on analog lines may lose functionality when those lines are decommissioned. - How much can SIP trunking save on telecom costs?
Switching to SIP trunking can reduce telecom expenses by up to 60%, depending on usage and provider rates. - Can SIP trunking work with existing PBX systems?
Yes, SIP trunking can integrate with most legacy and hybrid PBX systems, allowing for a gradual transition from analog.
