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AT&T filed a lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission and the state attorney general on Wednesday May 20, 2026.
AT&T filed a lawsuit and FCC petition to end its Carrier of Last Resort obligation in California.
KEY POINTS
- California is the only state of 21 where AT&T still must maintain copper landlines for all new customers.
- AT&T's copper network serves just 3 percent of its California territory but costs $1 billion annually to maintain.
- Copper thefts caused around 2,000 outages in California in 2026, and replacement parts are increasingly unavailable.
- AT&T argues ending the copper obligation could enable $19 billion fiber investment and save 300 million kWh annually.
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