AT&T Asks FCC For Permission to Discontinue Live Operator Service in Alaska
The company tells FCC modern alternatives carry ‘the same functionality'
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2026 — AT&T is seeking to end what it considers an outdated phone service: Its Alaska customers can still dial a live operator to place a long‑distance call, but the company says this service is no longer needed.
In a June 17 filing, AT&T asked the Federal Communications Commission for permission to discontinue operator‑dialed long‑distance service statewide by July 31, 2026, citing collapsing demand. AT&T said it handled fewer than 820 such calls over the past year, or about two a day.
