AT&T Sues California Over Copper Landline Mandate

May 21, 2026 – A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks to end a state requirement forcing a major carrier to offer traditional copper-wire telephone service to new customers statewide.

AT&T, which filed the suit in federal court in Southern California, against the California Public Utilities Commission and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The company argues it spends roughly $1 billion annually maintaining a copper network that now serves only 3 percent of households in its California service territory.

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