California Farm Bureau Joins Coalition to Push Back Against AT&T Efforts to Withdraw Basic Service
Published Friday, July 24, 2026
AT&T is pursuing several regulatory actions to reduce or eliminate its obligation to provide traditional copper landline service. These efforts are particularly concerning for rural Californians who lack reliable cellular or internet service and depend on landlines for emergency communications, including access to 911.
The Federal Communications Commission has tentatively approved AT&T’s request to discontinue copper landline service for at least 184,000 California homes by July 2027. However, concerns remain about whether AT&T’s proposed replacement technology, known as AT&T Phone-Advanced, can provide dependable service in rural areas and during emergencies or power outages.
Procedures remain available to modify the FCC’s approval. California Farm Bureau joined coalition comments arguing that allowing AT&T to discontinue service is premature without stronger assurances that rural customers will retain access to reliable communications and emergency services.
Staff contact: Karen Norene Mills, kmills@cfbf.com.
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