For Immediate Release: COMMUNITY GROUPS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RALLY BEHIND CRITICAL CALIFORNIA LANDLINE TELEPHONE NETWORK
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isis...@yahoo.com
Jun 22, 2026, 6:12:50 PM (3 days ago) Jun 22
to isis...@yahoo.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22nd, 2026
Coalition to Save Landlines!
in...@savelandlines.org
(510) 777-6622
COMMUNITY GROUPS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RALLY BEHIND CRITICAL CALIFORNIA LANDLINE TELEPHONE NETWORK
AT&T is Suing the State, Attempting to Deregulate Telecom and Pushing the FCC to Allow Abandonment
OAKLAND, CA— The Coalition to Save Landlines supports the state of California in defending landline telephone access and is demanding that AT&T immediately cease their attempts to pull the plug on a reliable network depended on by millions of people, an act that would leave many without reliable communication, including calls to 911.
The value of the landline telephone network, which can continue to function for days when the power is out, has become more apparent in recent years. Failure of cellular systems during wildfires and earthquakes has shown the weakness of that technology during emergency situations. “AT&T is ignoring thousands of public comments on the importance of the system to access and public safety,” the Coalition says.
AT&T claims landlines are "obsolete", but the reality is that they have often proven to be the most - and sometimes only - reliable way to communicate in an emergency, including to reach 911. Broadband and wireless are not reliable alternatives. During AT&T's 2024 nationwide cellular outage, 25,000 calls to 911 failed to complete.[1] “Landlines’ simplicity, quality, safety and rock solid reliability are unsurpassed, when compared with fiber and wireless options which don't work without power and for which battery backups last 24 hours at most.” the Coalition says.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recognized this in 2024, when it denied AT&T's request to be relieved of its “Carrier of Last Resort” (COLR) obligations in California. Now, AT&T has sued the CPUC and the California Attorney General, and asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to preempt California's rules and allow them to disconnect customers. AT&T is also pushing a state constitutional amendment that would eliminate the CPUC's jurisdiction over telecom.
AT&T claims that landlines are inefficient and environmentally harmful. Yet landlines use only a tiny fraction of the energy consumed by cell towers in the state.[2]
The Coalition, which has been fighting landline abandonment for more than a decade, and is made up of grassroots organizations, individuals, and industry professionals. They say that landlines are essential infrastructure to be protected and defended as a public utility, one that serves communities and saves lives. They point out that AT&T made $23 billion in profits last year [3] yet it claims it "costs too much" to maintain landlines in California. Reliable communications are critical for the public to be able to reach 911 in an emergency. Landlines are lifelines!
Residents of California still have the right to order a landline, and are encouraged to do so, to experience the advantages of quality, reliable, and simple communication. Call AT&T at 1-800-288-2020. If they refuse, escalate to the AT&T Presidents Office at 1-800-355-9542 and file a complaint with the CPUC Consumer Affairs Branch at 1-800-649-7570. Anyone can order a landline - it’s the law!
~end~
[1] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-404150A1.pdf
[2] https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10615301483717/1
[3] https://investors.att.com/~/media/Files/A/ATT-IR-V2/financial-reports/annual-reports/2025/2025-annual-report-complete.pdf
June 22nd, 2026
Coalition to Save Landlines!
in...@savelandlines.org
(510) 777-6622
COMMUNITY GROUPS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RALLY BEHIND CRITICAL CALIFORNIA LANDLINE TELEPHONE NETWORK
AT&T is Suing the State, Attempting to Deregulate Telecom and Pushing the FCC to Allow Abandonment
OAKLAND, CA— The Coalition to Save Landlines supports the state of California in defending landline telephone access and is demanding that AT&T immediately cease their attempts to pull the plug on a reliable network depended on by millions of people, an act that would leave many without reliable communication, including calls to 911.
The value of the landline telephone network, which can continue to function for days when the power is out, has become more apparent in recent years. Failure of cellular systems during wildfires and earthquakes has shown the weakness of that technology during emergency situations. “AT&T is ignoring thousands of public comments on the importance of the system to access and public safety,” the Coalition says.
AT&T claims landlines are "obsolete", but the reality is that they have often proven to be the most - and sometimes only - reliable way to communicate in an emergency, including to reach 911. Broadband and wireless are not reliable alternatives. During AT&T's 2024 nationwide cellular outage, 25,000 calls to 911 failed to complete.[1] “Landlines’ simplicity, quality, safety and rock solid reliability are unsurpassed, when compared with fiber and wireless options which don't work without power and for which battery backups last 24 hours at most.” the Coalition says.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recognized this in 2024, when it denied AT&T's request to be relieved of its “Carrier of Last Resort” (COLR) obligations in California. Now, AT&T has sued the CPUC and the California Attorney General, and asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to preempt California's rules and allow them to disconnect customers. AT&T is also pushing a state constitutional amendment that would eliminate the CPUC's jurisdiction over telecom.
AT&T claims that landlines are inefficient and environmentally harmful. Yet landlines use only a tiny fraction of the energy consumed by cell towers in the state.[2]
The Coalition, which has been fighting landline abandonment for more than a decade, and is made up of grassroots organizations, individuals, and industry professionals. They say that landlines are essential infrastructure to be protected and defended as a public utility, one that serves communities and saves lives. They point out that AT&T made $23 billion in profits last year [3] yet it claims it "costs too much" to maintain landlines in California. Reliable communications are critical for the public to be able to reach 911 in an emergency. Landlines are lifelines!
Residents of California still have the right to order a landline, and are encouraged to do so, to experience the advantages of quality, reliable, and simple communication. Call AT&T at 1-800-288-2020. If they refuse, escalate to the AT&T Presidents Office at 1-800-355-9542 and file a complaint with the CPUC Consumer Affairs Branch at 1-800-649-7570. Anyone can order a landline - it’s the law!
~end~
[1] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-404150A1.pdf
[2] https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10615301483717/1
[3] https://investors.att.com/~/media/Files/A/ATT-IR-V2/financial-reports/annual-reports/2025/2025-annual-report-complete.pdf
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