AT&T proposes ending California landline service, customers want to keep lifeline

KTVU Fox 2 via Youtube ^ | February 7, 2024 | KTVU Staff

[thecodont]

A proposal by phone and internet service provider, AT&T, to end landline service for most Californians is drawing backlash.

[4yearlurker]

Not difficult at all. It's as difficult as it was before cell phones were put to use. I just keep living my life right on along without ever sending a text.

[DoughtyOne]

If it can be of help to you, don’t refuse it. You can let it sit there for the
most part.

[DoughtyOne]

Good…

[cva66snipe]

AT&T is abandoning it's copper grid. It is by no means being properly maintained nor upgraded. That is what the article is actually about though they don't come out and say it. The cable pedestals or splice boxes along roads for their buried cable the backbone of their central office to home service are standing wide open not covered, splices {wires} hanging out, and another very critical part called the SLIC Service Line Interface Card System a part of their trunking system which allows a 100 pair cable to serve 500 or more are failing. Their last upgrade in the early 1980's these are the larger cabinets you see an occasional service truck at where the cards are located.

Our national communication grid is actually falling behind in national coverage area and cellular although highly convenient can not do the job.

I find it odd that if AT&T charged someone $800 plus for a standard desk phone which was reliable will not bat an eye paying for a cell phone {radio transceiver} that is hit and miss and drops calls and has to be replaced ever couple years.

On a cellphone today to call anyone but close friends GOOGLE has become the new phone book. To find a person now is all but impossible. And like it or not cell systems do allow Big Brother the means to track your movements aka exact location and I would likely say monitor your communications as well. My dad told me even back in the 80's never assume a call is private.

[Fury]

Yes, back where I used to roam, Verizon has let their SLICs really degrade due to lack of maintenance. It’s frustrating when they can’t even close up their splice boxes. Freeze/thaw cycles are wrecking this part of the infrastructure.