AT&T to eliminate landlines by 2029

The end of service affects both residential and commercial customers. AT&T provides traditional landline service in 21 states. One state not facing the end of landlines is California, where AT&T is required to provide it by law. Thats because California has a lot of rural residents who often struggle to get decent satellite coverage or high-speed fiber. In June, the California Public Utilities Commission rejected AT&T’s request to end landline service in the state, despite the carrier saying it was too costly to maintain.

The company said no customers will lose voice or 911 service as it works through the transition.

Legacy copper services are no longer meeting customer needs for speed, reliability and always on-connectivity, according to AT&T. “The Copper network is incredibly inefficient,” said a company spokesperson in an email. It’s an energy hog, because every line and every element is powered all the time.