Is it the end of the line for landlines?

From American public media, this is Marketplace Tech.

I'm Lily Dramale. Before cell phones, a twisted pair of copper wires that linked our homes to the local phone company kept us all connected.

Today, in much of California, the Telecom Giant AT&T is still required to provide that basic landline phone service to

anyone who wants it. Now though AT&T is asking regulators for relief from that

obligation. The company says no customer will be left without voice or 911 service

Californians weighing in by and large or skeptical.

One from the city of Santa Rosa told regulators that in emergencies like recent

storms and fires of the last few years our only communication was through our

landline. Regina Costa of the Utility Reform Network, an advocacy group, says having a carrier of

last resort matters.

It means it can't pick and choose that it will provide service to some customers and not others.

It means the service is supposed to be reliable.

It means they can't pick and choose.

I'm going to put my money into this neighborhood, but I'm not going to put service into that

neighborhood. It's based on the notion that it is absolutely imperative for society that everyone in our nation has the ability to get

essential communication service for your

school, for communicating with your school,

for communicating with social service agencies

and other governments,

and especially in times of emergencies.

And who would be most affected by a change like this?

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