AT&T, along with other providers of landline phones, will be actively phasing out their landline services soon in response to the Federal Communications Commission Landline Shutdown Order 19-72. U.S. service providers will be required to offer customers an alternative to landlines and use devices to convert analog signals to digital, either through fiber optic cables or wireless technology, like LTE/5G. This isn’t going to happen overnight but both AT&T and Verizon are pushing now to be fully operational on newer infrastructure in the next few years. AT&T has already applied for a waiver to stop servicing traditional landlines in California.

Maureen Milton, a disabled senior 56-year resident of Fullerton, said, “This is a very scary situation. Please write letters regarding this action because, without landlines, we’re dead when you can’t contact emergency services. But you can write letters and call everybody. Landlines may be old technology, but often old technology is still the best when the power goes out.”

To file a complaint with the FCC visit https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov; or call 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322); ASL: 1-844-432-2275.