AT&T Seeks FCC Approval to End California Copper Landlines by June 2027

3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jun 18

AT&T told customers in Nevada County their home phone lines are slated for discontinuation in June 2027 and said it is now asking the FCC to approve ending the service.
The carrier says it wants to retire its legacy copper network and shift customers to fiber or other reliable connectivity, adding it will not cut rural users without dependable wireless coverage.
Nevada County officials and residents pushed back because no federal ruling has been issued; Supervisor Sue Hoek called the letters misleading, while one 80-year-old customer said she has kept the same landline for 53 years.
California regulators previously blocked AT&T from ending landline service because it is a Carrier of Last Resort, and Assembly Bill 470—which could have eased that requirement—was still held in committee as of Aug. 29, 2025.
FCC comments on the application are open through July 17, setting up a federal test of whether AT&T can bypass state resistance to shutting down copper service.