AT&T seeks to shed landline obligations | The Signal
After over a century, AT&T, the successor to the iconic Ma Bell, seeks to phase out landline services in much of California, drawing parallels between the outdated technology and relics like Kodak film and Blockbuster rentals. This move has sparked concern, particularly among residents in rural areas like the Santa Clarita Valley, where reliable cellphone service isn’t guaranteed. The telecom giant argues that with numerous alternatives available, maintaining traditional landlines is wasteful and unnecessary.
AT&T’s application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) seeks relief from its obligations to provide landline service in certain areas and to relinquish its designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier. The company claims that the demand for traditional landline service, known as “POTS,” has sharply declined over the past two decades, with most of the population having access to multiple alternative communication options.
However, residents like Judy Reinsma and Arthur Lenhardt and over 37,000 others have expressed concerns about the potential consequences of phasing out landlines. Issues such as poor cellphone reception in rural areas and reliance on landlines for emergency response devices highlight the complexities of transitioning away from traditional communication infrastructure.
The CPUC is conducting hearings to allow public input on AT&T’s application, allowing residents to voice their concerns about the impact of discontinuing landline services. While AT&T emphasizes the need to modernize and transition to broadband technologies, the debate underscores the broader challenges of balancing technological progress with equitable access to essential services………
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Rising Dough
How might the phasing out of traditional landline services by telecom companies like AT&T impact rural communities access to essential communication services and emergency response capabilities, particularly in areas with unreliable cellphone coverage?
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