AT&T plans to discontinue landline phone service in nearly every state, including Ohio, by the end of the decade. The company announced that it intends to phase out its copper wire infrastructure that supports phone lines for most landline users.
When will AT&T cut landline service in Ohio and other states, and why is the company doing it? Here’s what we know.
AT&T to cut landline service because of ‘antiquated infrastructure’
The company, which services over 100 million customers, according to its website, says that the infrastructure is antiquated, and it is now “working to exit its legacy copper network operations across the large majority of its wireline footprint by the end of 2029,” according to a recent company statement.
The move faces some scrutiny, as critics stress the importance of landlines, which are particularly used in rural areas, among non-cellphone users, during power outages, and by senior citizens who may still rely on traditional phones. AT&T says that in addition to the copper-based service being outdated, it’s costly to maintain and inefficient, USA TODAY reports.
The company, which provides traditional landline service in 21 states, wants instead to shift to more wireless operations by expanding its fiber broadband network to reach over 50 million locations over the next five years.
AT&T plans to eliminate the service in every state except California by 2029, according to USA TODAY.
How many customers does AT&T have in Ohio?
AT&T says it provides service to more than 820,000 customer locations across Ohio, which includes Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo.
The company has previously drastically altered its services in Ohio. In 2019, it dropped out of a program to assist Ohio landline customers facing financial burdens, ending its $9.25 monthly discount.
AT&T offers landline alternative service for customers
The wireless carrier is offering a new product as a landline alternative for customers who don’t want or need a broadband connection. The new service can be used with an existing landline phone that plugs into a jack, and it connects to AT&T’s wireless network as an alternative. It costs $45 a month.
AT&T is providing five years’ notice about eliminating its copper network to give the company, the FCC and consumers time to prepare, said Susan Johnson, AT&T’s executive VP of wireline transformation and supply chain to the USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: AT&T to cut landline phone service in Ohio, other states. Here’s why