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Why Phone Companies are Quitting Copper Wiring

June 22, 2022 by admin

In 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that telephone companies were not required to maintain traditional copper telephone lines as long as they had a suitable replacement in place. Since that time, phone companies across the country have been looking into alternative wiring for a number of reasons.

1. Copper isn’t as cheap as it used to be.
Copper is a great conductor – and that made it the top choice for wiring for electrical components, particularly for anything with a microchip. Considering everything from our computers and smartphones to our appliances and robot vacuum cleaners are now equipped with microprocessor technology, the demand for copper has gone way, way up. Any time demand goes up, so does cost.

2. Not as many phone customers need or want landlines.
At the same time copper is getting more expensive, fewer customers want one or multiple landlines. When copper lines were originally run, each individual line supplied one individual phone number. The signal could be split within a building, but each phone number had its own separate line. That changed with VOIP, thus eliminating the need for multiple copper lines. Phone companies had a “suitable replacement” for providing new or expanded phone service WITHOUT having to invest in the rising cost of copper.

3. Copper has internet bandwidth limits.
Under ideal circumstances, copper data transmission speeds max out at around 40Gb per second. It was fast enough when the early internet only sent text emails, but it is only a tiny fraction of what fiber-optic cables can handle. If you remember the days of DSL and dial-up, you might remember how much slower the internet used to be. Phone providers these days know that if they want to keep customers, they have to be able to serve their internet needs – and that means investing in technologies that work faster than copper.

Will Legacy Emergency Call Boxes Stop Working Without Copper Lines?
Unfortunately, for the majority of early model equipment, yes. A lot of call box brands were made specifically for copper and landline connectivity as was the regulation at the time. Boxes made for NFPA 72 and UL 864 compliance and others like them are simply not built to accommodate fiber-optic or cable.

If the local phone company in an area decides to abandon or replace copper wiring, critical emergency communications equipment may cease to operate correctly. AT&T has already announced the switch to some customers. Other providers are doing the same.

This is just one of the many reasons why CASE equipment is built the way it is. Not only are our wireless CASE Blue Light Towers, E-phones, and Lexan Call Boxes compatible with existing communications infrastructure, our retrofit kits ensure legacy equipment remains operable no matter what changes utility companies may make to the local grid.

To get more information about options for your location

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Filed Under: News Tagged With: Disaster Relief, Events, Product Features, Technology

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What others are saying

As a Vendor in the Emergency Callbox Realm, I find CASE Emergency Systems to be one of the most efficient and well thought-out product lines that I deal with in the 911 industry. Their Callboxes and Emergency management systems are second to none. Engineered to be backward compatible the reliability will stand the test of time. I personally promote their products because they are nearly bomb proof! Their customer service and small business feel helps you to meet your priorities. Without a doubt I recommend you look into CASE Emergency Systems for any of your Safety/911 needs.

Lee Novotny
President/Owner, Stream Speed Technologies, LLC
 

I cannot say enough about CASE Emergency Systems and our working relationship with them. We are early in the process, but are implementing a 3-year plan to replace our 24 existing phones and add 18 more. The simplicity of installation, the automatic daily self-diagnostic reports, the low maintenance, and the company’s overall service are outstanding. Our current project and initial installations are our first use of CASE products. They are excellent on all counts, and we will continue to use CASE Emergency Systems into the foreseeable future.

Randal Duke
Emergency Management Coordinator, University of Texas at Tyler
 

Since the Call Box has been installed we have had two medical calls which were critical cases. Thanks to the Call Box Law, medical aid was at location in 10 minutes or so. In the past with no cell coverage folks had to drive out of the canyon… This would add about 30 minutes to the response time. We believe lives were saved due to the Call Box.

John Gulserian
Program Manager, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services
 

The Iron County Sheriff’s Office is very excited about the addition of these satellite phones in these remote locations. This will help all emergency services in Iron County to rapidly respond to emergencies where there is little or no cell phone coverage.

Mark Gower
Iron County Sheriff
 

Thank you for the phones. They work flawlessly, and the members love them.

Dave Kardos
Burning Tree Country Club
 

Thank you everyone, this means a lot to my department as we work toward improving public safety and officer safety. Every person who calls us from a phone box at the bottom foot paths lowers the chance of harming themselves and us getting harmed as we work to help them.

Ryan Hall
Staff Sergeant, Delta Police Department
 

The phones are simple to use. One need only open the call box and follow the 4-step instructions. These are a unique and valuable asset to the County, and we hope that individuals will recognize their value and help us maintain and protect them so if and when they are needed, they can serve members of and visitors to our great community in times of need.

John Higley
Emergency Management Coordinator, Iron County
 

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