AT&T Sues to End California Landline Rules for 200,000 Customers as FCC Petitions Target 360 Wire Centers
Updated
Updated · The Santa Rosa Press Democrat · Jun 13
AT&T Sues to End California Landline Rules for 200,000 Customers as FCC Petitions Target 360 Wire Centers
3 articles · Updated · The Santa Rosa Press Democrat · Jun 13
Summary
May 20 filings put AT&T’s fight over California’s carrier-of-last-resort rules into federal court and before the FCC, where it seeks to stop mandatory basic phone service across large parts of the state.
360 wire centers serving about 200,000 residential and business customers could lose landline service after June 1, 2027, under one petition; AT&T says copper lines are costly, slow to repair and used by just 3% of its customers.
California customers and advocates say those lines still matter in wildfire and storm-prone areas where cell coverage is weak, citing outages lasting days or months, missed repairs and notices pushing wireless replacements.
AT&T says it spends $1 billion a year maintaining California’s aging network and points to $19 billion in regional fiber and wireless investment through 2030, but critics question whether rural areas will get reliable substitutes.
The legal push follows a 2024 CPUC rejection of AT&T’s phaseout plan and a failed 2024 Sacramento bill, while a recent commission ruling faulted the company for incomplete and contradictory data on replacement service.
As AT&T sheds its copper network, can its modern replacements guarantee a lifeline for vulnerable Californians during disasters?
Is replacing vulnerable copper lines with 'smarter' 5G networks swapping physical risks for far greater cyber-espionage threats?
California’s Copper Landline Showdown: AT&T’s $19 Billion Lawsuit, 500,000 Customers at Risk, and the Fight for Reliable Communication
Overview
AT&T has launched a federal lawsuit against California regulators to end its obligation to provide traditional copper landline services, aiming to preempt state rules and modernize its network. The company argues that maintaining the aging copper system is costly and difficult, citing frequent outages from copper thefts and challenges finding replacement parts. AT&T claims environmental benefits from retiring copper and promises a $19 billion investment in new infrastructure. This legal battle highlights the tension between AT&T’s push for modernization and California’s efforts to ensure reliable communication, especially for vulnerable residents who still depend on landlines.