AT&T to Phase Out Landline Service in California

The FCC has approved AT&T’s plan to gradually discontinue landline phone service for over 184,000 households in California, starting June 1, 2027.

“Many AT&T customers are receiving notices indicating that their traditional landline service will be ending, with suggestions to explore other options. But while these letters might seem final, they don’t capture AT&T’s ongoing responsibility to provide essential phone service in California upon request,” stated local county representatives in a written comment.

At a press briefing, AT&T responded to the FCC’s ruling, noting that “only 3% of the households we serve in California rely on traditional phone services,” and emphasized that they are implementing a gradual, year-long strategy to upgrade customers to better, more reliable alternatives.

Furthermore, AT&T pledged to invest $19 billion in California by 2030, aiming to connect more residents to a robust network and enhance customer access to reliable connectivity as they phase out the outdated copper network.

For nearly three years, AT&T has sought to eliminate the service. Currently, under the Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) designation, the company must provide basic phone services to all, “regardless of their location or income level.”

Initially, AT&T submitted a formal request to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2023 to waive this obligation for landline service.

However, the CPUC denied AT&T’s request, prompting the company to support a new bill (California Assembly Bill 470) intended to relieve them of these COLR duties.

After facing resistance from California’s government, AT&T opted to file a federal lawsuit against the state. They actually submitted an application to the FCC in May.

Even though the FCC’s ruling was a win for AT&T, the company still has pending applications and is contesting a lawsuit that the CPUC filed shortly thereafter.