Early last year, AT&T asked to be exempt from their Carrier of Last Resort mandate because of a significant decline in demand for landline services provided via their copper networks. Over 200 Humboldt County residents' landlines could be impacted if the California Public Utilities Commission approves the request this spring.
Other affected areas include parts of Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties.
"I don't know what it would be like not to have a code red coming through or being able to call a neighbor and say, ‘Are you alright? Are you safe?’” said Alton Wright, founder of the Save Our Landlines movement and a local business owner.
AT&T has promised to continue landline service in areas without good alternatives; places where Humboldt residents rely on landlines because of poor cellular service.
“With my advanced age and health history of a heart problem, my AT&T landline is my lifeline to 911,” said Humboldt County resident Jeannie Dsg. “I can usually understand people when using my AT&T landline, which is not always the case when using the cell phone with poor reception.”
According to a spokesperson, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors opposes the plan. In a statement, they said they want “to ensure that the people who live here have access to affordable, reliable phone service.”
AT&T says almost 99% of the population in their service area has access to at least two landline alternatives, such as fiber and wireless broadband networks, which can see more rural homes connected in the future.
A virtual public hearing about the proposal will take place on March 19. Details for the meeting are on the California Public Utilities Commission website.
