I offer the following personal experience only as evidence that the copper lines don't HAVE to be cut. Obviously, YMMV.
I signed up for FiOS internet access last summer, but originally stayed with MCI for phone service. The FiOS installer not only left the existing copper phone lines, when he saw what a rat's nest the previous phone installer had made he actually tidied up the copper wiring and refurbished the connections.
When I switched to Verizon phone service earlier this year, they promised a technician would be sent out to attach my interior copper phone wiring to the fiber ONT within two weeks. However, no one ever showed up, and my phone service to this day is still completely on copper wires, albeit provided by Verizon. The only problem is that I get two bills instead of one. At least I don't have to worry about an extended power outage killing my phone.
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I signed up for FiOS internet access last summer, but originally stayed with MCI for phone service. The FiOS installer not only left the existing copper phone lines, when he saw what a rat's nest the previous phone installer had made he actually tidied up the copper wiring and refurbished the connections.
When I switched to Verizon phone service earlier this year, they promised a technician would be sent out to attach my interior copper phone wiring to the fiber ONT within two weeks. However, no one ever showed up, and my phone service to this day is still completely on copper wires, albeit provided by Verizon. The only problem is that I get two bills instead of one. At least I don't have to worry about an extended power outage killing my phone.