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California is the last state standing on copper. That's exactly why it's getting expensive.
AT&T has already secured the right to retire copper in 20 of 21 states — and it just filed a federal lawsuit to do the same here. Meanwhile your phones, fax, alarms, and elevators still run on a network that's aging, getting pricier, and being stripped by copper thieves. Switchpoint, powered by MetTel, moves you off it on your terms — before the squeeze becomes a shutoff.
California Copper — Where Things Stand
where AT&T has already won the right to retire copper. California is the lone holdout — for now.
Sources: U.S. District Court filing (May 21, 2026); CPUC COLR proceedings; FCC Order (March 26, 2026); BLS pricing data; AT&T public statements. Regulatory outcome pending.
A court ruling is the only thing between your copper line and the same fate as 20 other states.
- !The CPUC's Carrier-of-Last-Resort rule is the one thing keeping copper alive in California — and AT&T is in federal court right now to remove it.
- !Even while the rule stands, grandfathering already applies: carriers can refuse to add, move, or change your existing copper lines.
- !Copper rates are climbing 31% a year on average — the squeeze that pushed businesses off copper everywhere else is already on your bill.
- !A surge in copper theft is physically degrading the network's reliability, regardless of what any regulator decides.
The price doesn't wait for the lawsuit. Carriers are making copper too expensive to keep so businesses migrate before any shutoff is ordered. Moving now puts you in control of the timeline — and the cost.
California's protection is real — but it's not permanent.
The CPUC rejected AT&T's bid to drop its obligation in 2024, and a 2026 joint proposal would let carriers transition off copper as they build fiber. The direction is one-way. The only open question is the date.
Every one of these runs on the copper line that's being phased out.
If any of these systems at your business still dials out over an analog line, copper retirement affects you directly.
Fire Alarm Panels
Analog fire panels dial monitoring stations over copper. A dead line can mean a failed inspection.
Elevator Phones
Code-required emergency elevator phones depend on a working line — and on staying compliant.
Security & Alarm Systems
Burglar alarms and perimeter systems lose their dial-out path when copper is cut.
Point-of-Sale Terminals
Older POS and credit-card terminals that dial for authorization stop processing.
Fax Machines
Analog fax — still essential in healthcare, legal, and finance — goes silent without a line.
Voice & Emergency Lines
Front-desk phones, gate and door intercoms, and emergency call boxes all sit on copper.
Switchpoint moves you off copper in a single visit. Powered by MetTel.
Switchpoint is built on MetTel's nationwide POTS Transformation platform — the proven "POTS-in-a-Box" solution trusted by the U.S. Postal Service and the Veterans Administration. Your existing analog devices plug into one managed device that routes calls over secure broadband, Wi-Fi, and LTE/5G cellular instead of copper. Your phones, fax, and alarms keep working exactly as they do today.
Drop-in compatibility
- ✓Supports up to 8 analog lines from one device
- ✓Works with fire alarms, elevators, fax, modems, and POS
- ✓Keep your existing phone numbers and existing equipment
Built to never go down
- ✓Dual-SIM LTE/5G failover across multiple carriers
- ✓Up to 48 hours of battery backup with integrated UPS
- ✓Keeps running through power and network outages
Compliant & safe
- ✓UL- and FCC-compliant for life-safety and emergency use
- ✓HIPAA-compliant for regulated environments
- ✓Full support for alarm, elevator, and fax systems
Fully managed for you
- ✓24/7/365 monitoring from a NOC and ongoing lifecycle support
- ✓Professional on-site installation — plug-and-play
- ✓Typically 30% or more in cost savings vs. copper
Three steps. Zero downtime.
Free line audit
Tell us your address and what's on copper. We map every analog line at your location and flag what the California transition means for each one.
Your migration plan
We design a Switchpoint deployment for your exact equipment — phones, fax, alarms, elevators — with a fixed price and timeline.
On-site install
Our team installs and tests everything on-site. Your numbers and devices keep working. Copper is no longer your problem.
Get ahead of the California copper transition — on your schedule, not the carrier's.
Get a free California Copper Line Audit. We'll map every analog line at your location, flag what's exposed to rising costs and the coming transition, and show you exactly what a Switchpoint migration looks like — so you're never caught flat-footed by a ruling or a rate hike.
Get My Free Copper Line Audit
California businesses only · Response within 1 business day
You're on the list.
A Switchpoint copper specialist will review your location and the California transition and reach out within one business day with your free audit.
California copper retirement, in plain English.
I heard California stopped AT&T from killing copper. Am I safe?
You're protected for now — the CPUC rejected AT&T's request to drop its Carrier-of-Last-Resort obligation in 2024. But AT&T filed a federal lawsuit in May 2026 to overturn that, has won the same rights in 20 of 21 other states, and a 2026 joint proposal would create a path to transition off copper as fiber is built. The direction is clear; only the timing is open.
If the line still works, why move now?
Because the cost is already moving. Legacy POTS pricing has been rising about 31% a year, grandfathering rules already let carriers refuse to add or relocate copper lines, and copper theft is degrading reliability. Migrating now means you choose the timeline and lock in savings instead of reacting to a rate hike or ruling.
Will I lose my phone numbers or have to buy new equipment?
No. Switchpoint keeps your existing numbers and connects to the analog devices you already use — phones, fax, alarm panels, elevator phones. The replacement device routes those same lines over a digital network instead of copper.
What about my fire alarm and elevator — are those covered?
Yes. The solution is UL- and FCC-compliant for life-safety and emergency communications and fully supports alarm, elevator, and fax systems — which is exactly why a purpose-built replacement matters rather than a consumer internet phone service.
Is the audit actually free?
Yes. The California Copper Line Audit is free and carries no obligation. If staying on copper a while longer is the right call for you, we'll tell you and help you plan ahead.