AT&T filed a federal lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to overturn state rules that mandate providing traditional copper-wire landline service. The company argues it spends $1 billion annually to maintain this century-old network, which now serves just 3% of households in its California territory.
The legal battle highlights AT&T’s desire to completely phase out legacy copper infrastructure in favor of modern fiber and wireless networks. Key details of the situation include:
- The Core Argument: AT&T contends that California’s “Carrier of Last Resort” (COLR) rules unjustly drain resources, forcing them to maintain a largely obsolete network when they could redirect investments to expand modern broadband.
- Federal Preemption: AT&T is asking a federal court and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to declare that federal rules allowing the retirement of aging copper networks override California’s state requirements.
- Safety and Theft: The company cites that copper wires are heavily targeted by criminals, causing thousands of outages, and that upgrading will save massive amounts of electricity.
- State Pushback: California regulators and consumer advocates have resisted the move. They argue that mobile or wireless broadband is not a full substitute for traditional landlines, particularly because landlines are more reliable during power outages and are compatible with essential medical devices.
For further coverage of the ongoing legal and regulatory proceedings, you can check updates from Reuters or the technical analysis reported by Ars Technica.