NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Starting this Sunday, AT&T will begin shutting down landline services across several Middle Tennessee communities after receiving permission from the Federal Communications Commission.
While the change may not affect everyone directly, experts say there are important things homeowners and business owners should know before the service disappears.
You're talking about fax lines, security lines, elevator lines — especially when it comes to condos, townhomes, business centers, medical plazas. That's where you're going to see the vast majority of them," said Stephen Burton from One Call Technology in Franklin.
The team at One Call Technology is already helping businesses prepare for the day their phone provider pulls the plug — a day that is quickly approaching.
"Different carriers are shutting off at different times, but people don't think it applies to them necessarily yet," said Burton.
An AT&T filing with the FCC shows the company plans to begin discontinuing service this weekend from dozens of wire centers across Tennessee. AT&T has until 2029 to complete the full transition.
For anyone with safety systems like fire alarms and emergency phones, experts say the time to act is now — before those systems stop working.
Navigating the changes does not have to be overwhelming.
"Reach out to a company. There are a lot in the Middle Tennessee area that you can talk with who are well aware of what's going on and can hold your hand and walk you through it," said Burton.
Something else to keep an eye on is what you're paying for older services going forward.
With pricing regulations no longer in place, some customers have seen the cost of their copper-based services climb dramatically.
Consumer protections in place for customers
- Advance notice: Before retiring copper service, providers must notify affected customers about what's changing and how their service could be impacted. Notice requirements are generally at least 180 days for business customers and 90 days for residential customers, depending on the type of transition.
- Information about your options: Providers must explain the available alternatives in a neutral way so customers can make informed decisions.
- No pressure to upgrade: Providers cannot use required transition notices to pressure customers into purchasing a new service.
- Service during power outages: Traditional copper landlines can often continue working during power outages. Many newer phone services require electricity, so customers should ask about backup power options to make sure they can still make calls during an outage.
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