Traditional Telephone Service Changes

As of June 1, 2025, Verizon, the university's legacy (Centrex) telephony provider, has initiated an end-of-service process for its traditional analog telephone services. At Penn, these analog services are mostly used for end-user telephones, fax machines, and Life Safety Services such as Blue Light emergency phones, elevator phones, and building alarm lines for duress and fire alarms.

• This means that ISC Technology Solutions is no longer able to add new analog phone lines or make changes to existing ones. We will instead work with departments to provide modern alternatives that meet your needs.
• If you currently have an analog line that needs repair, we will review available options with you to address your needs with minimal disruption.

In addition to the above, Verizon has also initiated a substantial change to our contract terms, including a month-to-month term, and an unplanned 25% cost increase for the existing analog services. ISC Technology Solutions has initiated a review of all remaining analog phone lines to modernize services, reduce unnecessary costs, and protect business continuity across campus.

Why is this happening

• Traditional POTS (Plain Old Telephone Services) are being retired by all major telephone carriers, in addition to Verizon, as ordered by the Federal Communications Commission.
• Verizon trunks that bring analog dial tone to Penn are failing due to an aging copper plant
• It is not cost-effective for these telephone carriers to keep traditional telephony services operational, given the efficiencies of modern telephony technologies.

What Schools and Centers Can Expect

Transition of any Centrex telephone service or circuit that is not a Life Safety Service (LSS) can be accomplished by one of three options:

1. PennFlex Phone - all school and center telephony needs should use PennFlex phone service for dial tone. Phone numbers will be identified, customers will be notified, and a migration date will be provided at least 45 days after notification. For more information, please see https://isc.upenn.edu/services/phone-tv-video/pennflex-phone.
2. E-Fax Service - All school and center faxing that currently relies on a dial tone should be transitioned to the PennFlex E-Fax service. Phone numbers will be identified, customers will be notified, and a migration date at least 45 days from the notification will be provided. For more information, please see https://www2.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/pennflex-efax-service.
3. Disconnect - Traditional Telephone lines identified as not in use, or when schools and centers are unsure of their use, will be suspended until June 30, 2026. After that date, and with no request to restore service, ISC will place a Verizon disconnect service order for that phone number and reserve the phone number for future use on PennFlex Phone. Service restoration is not possible, so schools and centers must choose one of the first two options above.

How to Request Removal of an Individual Centrex Line or Migration to PennFlex or E-Fax

To request the removal or migration of a Traditional Telephone line, please contact ISC Client Care. 

Effective June 1, 2026, Verizon is freezing its Centrex Service, which means there will be no further changes to existing telephone lines, nor can they be moved to other parts of campus. Ordering a new telephone line will no longer be possible. ISC will focus first on all Centrex end-user services, so it can address Life Safety Services with alternative technologies.

On March 1, 2026 Verizon notified ISC that it should plan for the complete retirement of the Centrex service by June 1, 2027. This retirement process affects all Centrex users and services at the University of Pennsylvania that rely on Centrex. This includes Life Safety Services like Blue Light emergency phones, elevator phones, alarm lines for subzero freezers, standard telephones, and fax machines. After this date, the service will end operations.

Answers to frequently asked questions are listed below