California Landline Users at Risk of Losing Service

AT&T customers in California recently received notification that their landline service is at risk. Many patrons just learned of this switch in January of this year, leaving them with few options to remain connected.

The telecom giant has filed a petition that would allow it to stop servicing traditional landlines in California, releasing it from its obligation as a “Carrier of Last Resort” in the state. The move came after phone service providers replaced older copper-wire-based telephone lines — analog voice transmission systems known as Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS — with improved technology that doesn’t work with landlines.

Throughout California, telecom companies must provide Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) to all areas. This service ensures connectivity even in remote or underserved regions.

AT&T’s petition seeks to remove its obligation to these areas, allowing the telecom company to discontinue copper-line phone service if other voice service options are available. However, advocacy groups like The Utility Reform Network (TURN), Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), the Center for Accessible Technology (CforAT), and the Advocates Office at the California Public Utilities Commission (Cal Advocates), to name a few, are opposing the applications.

KZYX quoted Regina Costa, telecommunications policy director at TURN, a ratepayer advocacy group. She said, “The carrier of last resort is an obligation of a local telephone company like AT&T or Frontier, to serve everyone in its territory; to charge them the same price; to maintain the service; and to do it without discriminating against anyone.”

The California Public Utilities Commission will hold in-person and virtual public forums for AT&T customers to provide input into the company’s two proposals to remove its obligation to offer voice services in its service territories. These will take place throughout February and March 2024.

The public forums will begin with a brief overview of AT&T’s proposals. Then, public comments will be heard. At least one representative from AT&T will be available to answer questions about individual customer bills or services.

Both AT&T and Verizon have stated that they wanted to be entirely switched to the newer infrastructure in the next few years.