Life Safety Systems (LSS) Verizon Transition FAQ

Verizon is retiring its copper-based telephone service (also referred to as POTS or Centrex). As a result, phone lines that depend on this service must be transitioned, replaced, or retired before the service is discontinued. Penn's Life Safety Systems (LSS) Program is coordinating this transition for emergency and other affected phone services.  

The project is being driven by Verizon's planned retirement of copper-based telephone service. Without action, affected telephone lines will no longer function once the service is discontinued as of May 31, 2027.  

The transition is a collaborative effort involving Public Safety (DPS), Information Systems & Computing (ISC), Facilities & Real Estate Services (FRES), and other campus stakeholders.  

An Emergency Phone is a permanently installed phone that provides immediate access to University Police Dispatch (PennComm) or another approved emergency response location. It is designed to support emergency communication and provide responders with accurate location information. Emergency Phones include outdoor emergency phones, elevator phones, and other code-required emergency communication devices. 

A courtesy phone is a phone that does not meet the criteria for a Life Safety phone under the Emergency Phone Policy but may still provide convenience or operational value to a school, center, or department. Some phones previously assumed to be "emergency" phones have been reclassified as courtesy phones following project review.  

ISC is collaborating with schools and centers to transition from Traditional Telephone line services to modern options. The available options include PennFlex Phone, eFax, or disconnection of services. Please note that the Life Safety aspect of this transition is our highest priority. We strongly recommend that you begin the transition now rather than waiting until the last minute, as our resources and scheduling will be significantly limited due to Verizon's scheduling requirements. If you are unsure if your organization's phone lines will be affected, please contact ISC Client Care for assistance.

Most work will be scheduled and coordinated in advance with building administrators and local stakeholders. The project team will strive to minimize operational impacts and will communicate any required service interruptions prior to installation activities. Notification schedules and building access requirements will vary depending on the type of installation being performed. Building administrators will receive advance notice before work begins. 

The project team plans to validate replacement services before retiring existing telephone lines. If issues are encountered during transition activities, rollback procedures may be used to maintain service continuity. Detailed cutover plans will be coordinated with affected stakeholders before work occurs. 

Notify the LSS project team so the phone can be evaluated and added to the inventory if necessary. 

Yes. Areas should review and update any signage, websites, documentation, maps, procedures or instructions that reference 5-digit dialing, and change it to the full 10-digit phone number (215-573-3333), because that capability will only be available on programmed PennFlex phones. Life Safety devices will automatically call PennComm.

Not necessarily. The project is evaluating replacement technologies and transition approaches. Any changes to emergency phones will be coordinated through the program and relevant stakeholders.

The school, center, or department should evaluate whether: 

• The phone is still needed. 
• An alternative solution would meet the need. 
• The phone should transition to another service. 
• The project team will support those discussions and document decisions.  

Departments should begin replacing references to 511 with the full PennComm telephone number (215-573-3333) in signage, printed materials, websites, procedures, and vehicle markings. While 511 will continue to work on PennFlex Phone service, there will be a time during the transition period that 511 dialing may stop working on a Traditional Telephone line. Departments are encouraged to update references as materials are refreshed to communicate 10-digit dialing for all telephone numbers.

No. Different categories of Life Safety lines are being addressed through separate workstreams, including elevators, emergency phones, duress lines, fire panels, and courtesy phones. As a result, multiple installation activities may occur at different times within the same building. The project team is coordinating schedules to keep workstreams aligned whenever possible and will communicate dates in advance.

Installation activities will be carried out by a combination of University staff, existing service providers, and contracted vendors, depending on the type of Life Safety service being addressed. Contracted vendors will be accompanied by Penn representatives.

Installations will be evaluated during implementation. If a standard installation approach is not feasible due to signal or site conditions, additional engineering review may be required before proceeding. Alternative installation approaches will be evaluated with the affected stakeholders.

Some elevator-related activities may require temporary service interruptions. Work will be coordinated with building stakeholders and scheduled in a manner intended to minimize operational impacts. Specific details will vary by building and elevator configuration.

Life Safety devices serve different purposes and have different regulatory, operational, and environmental requirements. As a result, the University is using different solutions for elevators, emergency phones, duress systems, fire panels, and courtesy phones.

If installation conditions require additional construction, engineering review, or architectural approvals, the project team will coordinate next steps with the appropriate stakeholders before work proceeds.

One-time wiring and infrastructure updates required for the LSS transition will be funded through the LSS Program budget during the transition period. 

Ongoing PennFlex Phone/VoIP service costs associated with the transition are funded by PTIC.

Possibly. Costs may arise if an area chooses to: 

• Implement a department-specific solution outside project standards. 
• Retain non-standard infrastructure. 
• Purchase additional equipment beyond baseline project requirements. 

Specific funding responsibilities would be reviewed with the project team before commitments are made.

The communications plan identifies Finance Officers and Business Administrators as key stakeholders because they are often involved in funding decisions, operational approvals, space management, and departmental communications.  

The project team will provide advance notice of transition activities and communicate any potential financial impacts before action is required.  

For Life Safety transition activities covered by the program budget, no departmental funding approval should be required. If a department requests optional services or special accommodations, separate discussions may be necessary. 

For each courtesy phone, departments will be asked to determine whether the phone should: 

• Transition to PennFlex Phone/VoIP. 
• Be retired and removed.  
• Be replaced by another communication method. 

The project team will provide lists of identified courtesy phones associated with each school, center, or department for validation and decision-making.  

The project team has anticipated an exception-review process for situations where stakeholders believe a phone should be handled differently. Questions or concerns should be submitted through the channels identified in project communications (e.g., ISC-LSS-Program@lists.upenn.edu).  

No. Because the underlying Verizon service is being retired, affected lines will need to be replaced, migrated, or removed before the retirement date.  

Schools, centers, and departments will receive advance communication prior to building-specific transition activities. Detailed schedules will be shared as planning progresses.  

It may be helpful to: 

• Validate ownership of known phone lines. 
• Identify business uses for courtesy phones. 
• Review emergency procedures and related signage. 
• Identify departmental contacts who should participate in transition decisions. 

Questions should be directed to the LSS project team via ISC-LSS-Program@lists.upenn.edu