Letters to the Editor: Landlines are crucial in emergencies for rural Californians and Angelenos alike
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- California residents from rural areas and L.A. neighborhoods say landlines are critical for emergency communications when cell service fails.
- AT&T is pushing to phase out copper-wire landlines, prompting opposition from Encino, Rancho Palos Verdes and rural communities.
- Residents urge California regulators to reject AT&T’s request, warning the company prioritizes profits over public safety.
To the editor: I used to live in a rural part of San Luis Obispo County where cellphone service was spotty, but I had a landline that was reliable and always available in power outages (“They rely on landlines for emergencies. AT&T’s political moves in California could take those away,” Nov. 13). When I sold my house, the landline was discontinued. I was unable to get a landline at my new residence and I was so sorry to lose that service. It is the only thing that works in an emergency.
About six months ago, a friend of mine and I were traveling back from L.A. through the Palisades area on our way home to San Luis Obispo. Both of our cellphones suddenly lost all service. We stopped in Ventura and found that people there were going to Starbucks to use its Wi-Fi in hopes that that would work. We were doing the same thing. Nobody knew what was going on.
We did not get cell service back until we got into Santa Maria. That was a huge time frame without any communication available to us.
I am extremely concerned about the idea of losing real copper-based landlines. They should be available to all residents who want them, regardless of where you live. And the money should be there to provide that.
I’m happy to hear people are trying to keep this service available. I hope that our politicians stand up to AT&T, since it seems that corporations only care about the bottom line and not the people.
Cathy Bezek, San Luis Obispo
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To the editor: While this article correctly focuses on the needs of rural Californians, I hope coverage of this topic expands to include the residents of the city of Los Angeles. I’m a 28-year resident of Lake Encino, a neighborhood in the hills south of Ventura Blvd., where AT&T is the carrier of last resort. I still pay for a landline telephone, as I have learned that it is absolutely necessary for communications in a fire, earthquake or health emergency.
I have tried AT&T’s voice over IP and it does not work in my neighborhood. There are many hilly neighborhoods in the greater L.A. area, and I presume they have similar conditions.
I have written to the California Public Utilities Commission and my city and state government representatives, objecting to AT&T’s petition to abandon its copper lines. I encourage other residents to do the same.
Laurel Wruble, Encino
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To the editor: Rural customers aren’t the only ones who need landlines. I live in a neighborhood in Rancho Palos Verdes that has only one road in and out. In the event of an earthquake, my cellphone won’t provide communication with the outside world. My late husband, an electrical engineer, cautioned that we should always keep a landline. Before his death, he became a ham radio operator to provide an extra measure of safety.
I hope the California Public Utilities Commission rejects AT&T’s request.
Sarah Adams, Rancho Palos Verdes
