What Replacing Copper Telephone Lines Means for Older Customers

Cost is another concern: Even people willing to embrace the latest tech don’t want to pay more for service.

Susan Johnson, who leads AT&T’s efforts to exit copper and jump to newer services, says less than 3 percent of the company’s voice customers still rely on legacy copper. 

As of July 2024, half of Americans over 65 still had a landline in their homes, according to data analyzed by Chamber of Commerce, a product research company. Chamber of Commerce did not break out how many of the landlines were copper-based.

“We want to make sure the message comes out that we are out to put them on something better, not take something away,” Johnson says.

USTelecom’s Spalter agrees: “Nobody should or will be left behind.”

But is it happening too fast?

However, critics argue that the transition may be occurring too quickly.

“Fiber is not being deployed at the same speed that the industry is proposing to retire [copper],” says Hooman Hedayati, senior strategic research associate at the Communications Workers of America. The union’s view is that the alternatives, which include wireless and satellite, are not equivalent to the equipment they’re meant to replace and are either too expensive or unreliable.

“Wireless is affected by foliage, geographic location, topography, seasonal changes and where in the building you are. All of this affects the performance of the network,” Hedayati says.

Among the alternative solutions is an AT&T product called AT&T Phone - Advanced, or AP-A. It leverages cellular and/or broadband and costs $45 per month plus taxes and fees. Most customers can use their existing handset and answering machine and keep their old phone number, the company says. People comfortable with technology can install the services themselves. Others can schedule a technician to do it for them, at no additional cost, AT&T says.

Johnson concedes that in some areas of the country, AT&T doesn’t have wireless coverage strong enough for AP-A. “In those areas, we’re taking a longer time,” she says. “It would be shooting ourselves in the foot to try to force a customer on a product that doesn’t have the reliability or the coverage, particularly in rural America, where there is a concern.”

Other potential home phone options include the Community Phone, Verizon’s Fios Home Phone and Verizon’s Wireless Home Phone (LVP2).

The questions to ask

People who’ve been using legacy systems for decades must be persuaded that new technology is not only reliable but trustworthy. Education is critical. To a large extent, the onus lies with the service providers themselves, but the FCC also plays a significant role, as does AARP.

The FCC has published an online consumer guide on the tech transition. Senior Planet from AARP, an affiliated charity, hosts free online classes to help explain how the copper retirement will affect consumers.

Senior Planet recommends checking with your service provider to get details on what you’ll be transitioning to, whether it’s fiber, wireless or something else. Consumers need to know not only what new services will become available but when, and if applicable, should receive proper training. If you are switching to an all-digital network, find out if you are giving up any services, despite industry promises to the contrary.

Most of the solutions being discussed will allow people to keep their existing phone numbers, as well as the telephone and other equipment they’ve been using. You will want to make sure.

Assistive devices for hearing-, seeing- or mobility-impaired people should also work, though you may need an adapter or backup battery, perhaps at an additional cost. Home security systems or even fax machines ought to work as well.

Senior Planet reminds consumers that companies are required to offer you the same level of service you have and cannot try to upsell you on TV, internet or other services. But if you’re getting internet from another company, it’s worth asking about potential discounts if you decide to bundle services.

In the meantime, if you have a cellphone, check out the federal Lifeline program, which can reduce costs for eligible low-income households.

You should also be mindful of potential scams because bad guys may look to exploit the inevitable confusion the transition likely brings. Don’t take someone claiming to be from the phone company at face value. If you have any doubts, contact the company directly.

Make sure you know whom to reach out to if something is unclear, goes wrong or you need to file a complaint. And make sure your old service isn’t turned off until the new system is up and running.