AT&T Seeks ‘Emergency Authorization’ to Suspend Voice Services in Damaged Copper Networks

AT&T (NYSE: T) has re-emphasized to the FCC it intends to stop repairing vandalized or damaged copper networks in areas where comparable substitutes are available. In a July 6 filing, AT&T said it seeks “emergency authorization … to suspend AT&T’s voice services in various locations impacted by damage to AT&T’s legacy copper network.”

“In each instance, whether the outage was caused by copper theft, equipment failure, or some other unexpected impairment of AT&T’s facilities, the discontinuance of service was beyond AT&T’s control,” states the carrier. “The public interest is better served by allowing AT&T to redeploy its limited resources toward the next-generation networks necessary to compete in today’s communications marketplace, especially when replacement services are available.”

AT&T cites damage to hundreds of locations across at least a dozen states. The new filing largely mirrors a June 18 filing that Inside Towers reported. The new one is for voice services only.

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief