AT&T Asks FCC to Suspend Copper-based Services When Infrastructure is Damaged

AT&T (NYSE: T) asked the FCC for permission to suspend voice services in various locations impacted by damage to its legacy copper network. The company noted that it has been dealing with multiple separate unexpected outages, each of which have occurred at different times and in different locations. AT&T also takes a position that many of the outages were caused by copper theft, equipment failure, or some other unexpected impairment of AT&T’s facilities and that service interruption was beyond its control.

Due to the nature and estimated duration of the conditions causing various service outages, AT&T says it does not intend to restore service to the affected areas, where a comparable substitute fiber or wireless service is available to all impacted customers. AT&T also claims it is unaware of any effect these copper-based service suspensions may have upon rates in any community. 

Because of the time and cost involved in repairing the damaged facilities, AT&T stated it does not intend to restore service to these customers, particularly when the company plans to retire the vast majority of its legacy copper network.