WASHINGTON — The copper network behind landline phones, a communications mainstay for more than a century, is going away, as cable and fiber-optics lines come along with faster Internet speeds.
But the alternatives have drawbacks, including an inability to withstand power outages. The federal government is considering rules Thursday to make sure Americans aren’t caught off guard in emergencies if they switch.
Many people already scoff at the idea of a landline. About 45 percent of U.S. households just use cellphones. But outside of cities, cell service can be poor.
FILE - This July 9, 2015 file photo shows a bundle of insulated copper telephone cables during a news conference on copper and metal theft, at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File
