Communications Law
Aug. 14, 2026
Federal approval, state authority and the future of California landlines
AT&T's effort to retire traditional landline service in California presents a classic federalism dispute over the boundary between federal authority and state regulation of essential communications infrastructure.
California's battle with AT&T over the future of traditional telephone service has evolved into a classic federalism dispute. At issue is whether the Federal Communications Commission's approval of AT&T's plan to discontinue copper-based landline service would preempt California's authority to require the company to continue offering basic telephone service to residents who still rely on it.
The stakes are significant. AT&T informed federal r...
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