If Frontier or Verizon sent you an “Important Update About Your Home Phone Service” letter, it’s telling you that the company plans to retire the traditional copper phone service in your area. The letter says that could start as early as October 23, but only with the FCC’s approval.
The FCC hasn’t given that approval yet. On September 25, it said it needed more time to look at the plan. So the truth is, October 23 isn’t your shutoff date, and there isn’t a new one yet.
That doesn’t mean the plan is off. The FCC’s own notice, printed in your letter, says the agency normally approves requests like this.
The bottom line: Frontier and Verizon are still planning to retire these phone lines.
The letters also said they planned to stop taking new orders for copper home phone service in your area starting September 30.
Community Phone’s analysis found more than 700 Virginia ZIP codes* in areas where Frontier or Verizon plans to retire traditional copper home phone service, including areas around Winchester, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Roanoke, Bristol, Norfolk, and Alexandria.
What does copper-based home phone service mean?
“Copper service” just means traditional phone service carried over physical copper wires. It’s different from newer home phone services that carry calls over fiber, an internet connection, or a wireless network. If you got this letter, copper is the kind of home phone service you have. If you’ve always just called it your landline or home phone, that’s what the letter means.
When can my home phone be shut off?
There’s no date yet. If the FCC approves the plan and your line is included, the company says it will send you another letter with your exact shutoff date. Until then, your current home phone keeps working.
You don’t have to wait for that letter. If you choose your next phone service now, you can switch on your own schedule instead of the phone company’s.
What can I use instead?
Frontier and Verizon plan to move customers off of copper and onto newer kinds of phone service. Depending on who serves your address, you can choose one of the options they offer or switch to another phone company. (Verizon bought Frontier in January 2026, which is why both names appear in these materials).
Your choices depend on what’s available at your address. Options may include:
Home phone over fiber. Depending on who serves your address, this may be Frontier fiber or Verizon Fios. The filing says customers moving from copper to either fiber-based voice service can get a battery backup unit that runs on 12 D-cell batteries. Replaceable batteries can lose charge as they age, even when they’re not used, so an old set may not last as long as a fresh one. Replacing them is up to you.
Internet-based home phone. Your home phone runs through your home internet connection. That means the phone depends on both your internet and the equipment that keeps it running. If the internet goes out or that equipment loses power, the phone can stop working too. Backup power may not be included.
Home phone over Verizon’s wireless network. A Verizon device in your home carries your calls over its cell network. If you ever change your location, you’ll have to update the equipment’s 911 address so emergency services know where to find you.
A cell phone on Verizon’s network. You’d be switching from a home phone to a mobile phone, which means a different device and a different way of making and receiving calls. You’d also have to keep it charged.
In parts of Virginia, other internet-based home phone options may be available from Xfinity, Breezeline, Spectrum, Cox, Optimum, or Shentel, depending on your address.
Frontier and Verizon say they won’t turn off your copper service unless another phone option is available.
You don’t have to stay with Frontier or Verizon. You can choose any phone company that serves your address. The letters point customers to the FCC’s broadband map to see which fiber, cable, and wireless internet providers report service at their address.
Four questions to ask before you switch
A replacement home phone service can work differently from your copper line. Before you switch, check four things.
- Can I keep my phone number? See if your new provider can help you transfer it from your old one, and keep your current phone account open until the transfer is complete. Our number transfer guide explains what to have ready.
- Can I keep the phone I already use? Ask whether your current home phone can plug into the new service. Changing providers doesn’t always mean changing phones.
- Does it need home internet? Ask whether your phone will still work if your internet goes down.
- What happens when the power goes out? Ask whether a battery is included and how long it lasts. Our home phone outage plan explains what to check.
Keep your home phone without a traditional phone line
Community Phone lets you keep your current home phone and number without relying on a traditional copper line or home internet.
It uses industrial-grade antennas to connect to the strongest available local phone tower, so it can make clear calls in places where cell phones struggle to hold a signal. A 26-hour backup battery means you can make calls even when the power goes out.
Before you pay a thing, we’ll confirm that you have strong coverage at your address.
Frequently asked questions
Are Frontier and Verizon shutting off home phones across Virginia on October 23?
No. October 23 was the earliest date in the letters, and it depended on FCC approval. The FCC hasn’t approved the plan yet, so there’s no shutoff date right now. If your line is going to be shut off, the company says it will send you another letter with the exact date first.
How do I know if my Virginia home phone is included?
If Frontier or Verizon sent you the “Important Update About Your Home Phone Service” letter, your home phone is in one of the areas covered by this copper retirement plan. Community Phone’s analysis found more than 700 Virginia ZIP codes included.
Why might my letter say Frontier or Verizon?
This filing covers copper service operated by both brands in different parts of the state. Frontier is now a Verizon company.
What if I already got a shutoff notice with an earlier date?
That earlier date still applies. Both letters say this notice does not replace a shutoff date you were already given.
Is my Frontier fiber or Verizon Fios service affected?
No. The notices say those newer fiber services, where available, are not part of this copper shutdown.
* Community Phone analysis of FCC service-area boundaries and 2020 Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, counting ZIPs with at least 5% area overlap. Virginia count combines Frontier and Verizon service areas.
