Ooma AirDial's MultiPath Technology Keeps Critical Calls Connected
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Legacy copper phone lines, once the backbone of emergency communication systems, are rapidly disappearing due to rising maintenance costs, lack of service availability, and FCC deregulation. As businesses and property managers search for reliable POTS line replacements, Ooma AirDial stands out for its advanced MultiPath technology – a feature designed to ensure calls don’t drop when they matter most.
What Is Ooma AirDial?
Ooma AirDial is a turnkey POTS line replacement solution that mimics a standard analog telephone line using a secure, digital internet connection. It’s designed to support legacy equipment like fire alarm panels, elevator emergency phones, gate entry systems, and more – all without needing to replace your existing devices.
Because AirDial runs on a modern network, it offers more than just compatibility. It significantly reduces monthly service costs, offers intuitive management tools, and ensures compliance with key safety standards. But what truly sets it apart is how it handles connectivity.
The Role of MultiPath Technology in AirDial
The big differentiator is Ooma’s MultiPath technology, which is best explained with an analogy.
Say you have an 18-wheel truck with two tires on each side of each axle to distribute the weight of your cargo evenly. If you’re driving on the highway and a tire blows out on the truck, you may not even notice because its twin tire keeps the truck rolling forward. And you almost certainly won’t spin out.
MultiPath technology is similar because it creates two simultaneous connections from AirDial to the Public Switched Telephone Network. One connection is from AirDial’s wireless LTE network, and the other is from the customer’s existing broadband network. MultiPath continuously monitors both connections and judges which is the best link. If one connection fails, the other is automatically and instantly used. This means that calls in progress will continue to travel uninterrupted. Having two different paths is especially helpful during network outages.
While other POTS replacement solutions typically offer a backup feature, it is generally less elegant, more time-consuming, and may not be as safe as MultiPath. That’s because other solutions usually designate one link as the primary connection and another link as secondary. The secondary connection only jumps into action when the primary connection fails. If the primary connection goes down during a call, the call will drop and must be reconnected. This can take a full minute or more, which isn’t ideal any time, but especially during emergency calls from an elevator, a fire alarm panel, or a campus blue-light call box.
Why MultiPath Is Better Than Traditional Failover Options
Most POTS replacement solutions only offer a basic backup system. In these setups, the primary connection handles all the communication, and the secondary connection only activates when the primary fails. This delayed handoff means that if your primary connection goes down during a call, the line drops. Reconnecting can take up to a full minute, which is unacceptable when lives or property are at stake.
MultiPath avoids this entirely by keeping both connections live at all times. The result is seamless switching, continuous monitoring, and uninterrupted communication, no matter what’s happening with your network.
Systems That Rely on Reliable, Uninterrupted Communication
When it comes to emergency systems, even one dropped call can have serious consequences. Ooma AirDial supports legacy systems that require constant, stable connectivity, including:
Elevator emergency phones – Keep passengers connected to monitoring centers without interruption.
Fire alarm control panels – Ensure fire alerts are transmitted instantly to emergency responders.
Campus blue-light safety phones – Maintain reliable 24/7 access to security teams across large properties.
Gate and building entry systems – Prevent access issues caused by failed communication lines.
Swimming pool emergency phones – Support lifeguard-free pool areas with dependable phone connections.
Fax machines, ATMs, and security systems – Avoid costly outages and maintain essential operations.
Why It Matters for Business Continuity and Safety
MultiPath is more than just a convenience – it’s an essential safeguard for life-safety systems and high-stakes operations. Ooma AirDial not only ensures reliability through network redundancy but also helps you stay compliant with national codes such as:
ASME A17.1 for elevators
NFPA 72 for fire alarm systems
E-911 for accurate emergency response
HIPAA for healthcare data security
With many telecom providers abandoning support for POTS lines, clinging to copper connections increases your risk of failure, regulatory fines, and expensive repairs.
Make the Switch to Ooma AirDial with Confidence
Upgrading from copper to digital can feel overwhelming, but Ooma AirDial makes the transition simple. You can keep your existing devices, cut monthly costs, and gain peace of mind knowing the power of MultiPath backs your critical systems.
Don’t wait for your copper line to fail. Contact us today to future-proof your communication systems with Ooma AirDial.