Speak Up on Verizon’s Proposed End to Service

KINGSTON – Jenny Lee, Chair of the Ulster County Citizens Commission for Digital Inclusion, urges residents to learn about Verizon’s proposal to retire traditional copper telephone service, known as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), and to make their voices heard.
Verizon is seeking FCC approval to retire POTS for portions of New York. The proposed discontinuance would begin on or after November 30, 2026, subject to FCC approval and required customer notice; it is not a single statewide shutoff date, and affected customers would receive notice of their specific transition date.

When POTS is replaced, the Commission believes the replacement technology should be evaluated for reliable voice service and 911 access during extended power outages and other emergencies – particularly in rural communities where outages can last many hours or days. Traditional POTS has a significant emergency-resilience feature: a basic corded telephone can operate without commercial power at the customer’s home because the telephone line is powered from the telephone company’s central office. Its resilience is also related to the way the traditional network is engineered and, in some locations, where telephone lines are positioned on utility poles. The Commission seeks to ensure that any replacement represents the most reliable, resilient, and appropriate telecommunications solution available to residents, particularly for voice and emergency communications.

“Communication during an emergency is not a convenience – it can be a matter of life and death,” said Robert Drake, Commission member and Town of Shandaken Deputy Supervisor and Board member.

The Commission encourages residents to take two simple steps:

1. Complete the Ulster County Resident Survey. Complete the survey online or on paper at your Town Hall. The survey will help the County understand how residents currently receive telephone service, the reliability of available alternatives, and potential public-safety concerns associated with the proposed POTS retirement. The survey closes at 11:59 p.m. Monday, October 12, 2026. Take the Ulster County Residents Verizon POTS Survey: tinyurl.com/VerizonPOTS-Survey

2. Tell the FCC about your experience. Visit the FCC docket and share your experience or concerns about Verizon’s proposed POTS retirement. Select “Submit an Express Filing” to submit a written comment, or “Submit a Standard Filing” if you are submitting a document or other file. Be sure to reference FCC Docket No. 26-252 so your comment becomes part of the official record. Submit a Comment to the FCC – Docket No. 26-252: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/docket-detail/26-252