AT&T must keep providing landline phone service to California’s rural areas, state regulators said June 20 after getting an earful from far-flung residents fearful of being cut off.
The California Public Utility Commission voted to dismiss a proposal from AT&T to withdraw as a carrier of last resort—meaning the state requires the company to offer basic communication services for all residents in certain coverage areas—after thousands of public comments poured in saying its landline services are the only option for some rural residents.
