The Analog Sunset: Why Simboxes Are the Unsung Heroes of Building Safety

27 November 2025, 10:17

Remember when you used to plug a phone into a wall and it just worked? Well, Proximus is pulling the plug on that magic. Literally.

The country’s copper network (PSTN), which has been the old school landline backbone that powers emergency phones in (older) elevators and some fire panels is being switched off. It’s called the “copper switch-off,” and it’s not some far-off event. It’s already underway in Brussels and beyond. Some buildings have already gone dark, and more are on the chopping block in 2025.

Now here’s the twist: while everyone’s hyped about fiber internet and 5G, a lot of critical safety systems in buildings (like elevator phones) still rely on these analog lines. And they’re not ready for what’s coming.

The Simbox

The Simbox is the low-key, high-impact solution to this infrastructure shake-up. It’s a compact device that plugs into your old emergency phone systems and reroutes calls over 4G/LTE instead of copper. No building-wide rewiring. No lifting out ceiling tiles. No emergency shutdowns.

It’s like giving your elevator phone a mobile plan. (Without the endless roaming charges.)

Why This Isn’t Just a Tech Issue

You might be thinking: “So what if the old lines are going away? Can’t we just use VoIP?” Well, in reality many of these critical devices don’t like VoIP.

• They rely on analog DTMF tones (those beeps when you press a button). VoIP can mess with those, distorting signals or dropping them entirely.
• They draw power from the copper line itself. When that disappears, so does your emergency phone during a blackout.
• VoIP setups need power and a modem/router, which are often… not in the elevator shaft. Oops.
• VoIP is legally not okay. Regulation doesn’t allow for VoIP is most cases.

If that elevator phone can’t send its “I’m stuck!” signal, you’ve got a problem.

Simboxes Are Already Saving the Day

At FlatTurtle, we’re rolling out Simboxes for buildings across Belgium. From Brussels to Ghent, we’ve helped prevent elevator systems from going offline and ensured fire panels keep talking to the right people at the right time.

Together with Citymesh sim cards, we’re deploying these simboxes, making sure they’re smarter, easier to manage, and future-proof. And of course, our simboxes have batteries that make sure they remain online, even when the power goes out.

TL;DR: Copper’s Dead. Simboxes Rule.

• Belgium’s copper lines are being phased out, zone by zone.
• If your elevator emergency phones and fire alarms still use those lines, they’ll go dark soon.
• VoIP isn’t a reliable replacement for life-safety systems.
• Simboxes solve this without expensive retrofits. One box, one plug, instant mobile backup.
• We handle the whole process: device, install, monitoring, and support.

If you’re a property manager or building owner, don’t wait for the “line disconnected” warning to hit your inbox, or worse, a trapped tenant pressing an elevator button that does… nothing.

Let’s talk Simboxes. Let’s make sure your building keeps talking even after copper calls it quits.