Rural Stakeholders Oppose AT&T Petitions that Threaten Universal Telephone Service
Coalition says FCC lacks authority to override California phone service obligations.
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2026 – Rural stakeholders in California are urging the Federal Communications Commission to reject AT&T’s efforts to shed state obligations which require the company to maintain basic voice service in the communities it serves.
In reply comments filed Wednesday to the FCC, a coalition of consumer advocates, labor organizations, and local government groups argued that the FCC cannot legally grant AT&T’s request to relinquish state carrier-of-last-resort (COLR) obligations. The regulation requires designated providers, including AT&T California, to maintain basic telephone service in their service areas.
