RCRC and CSAC Back California to Defend Reliable, Universal Communications and Emergency Connectivity

 

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), in partnership with The Utility Reform Network (TURN) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA), have filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the state Attorney General in a lawsuit initiated by AT&T. The lawsuit seeks to relieve AT&T of its Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) obligations and clear the way for the discontinuation of universal service in California.

 

COLR obligations ensure that all Californians have access to basic telephone service, safeguarding essential communications during disasters, power outages, and other emergencies when public safety is at risk.

 

AT&T’s efforts to retire landline service before reliable replacement technologies are identified, tested, and widely deployed risk leaving many residents without dependable communications access, particularly those in rural and underserved communities. Such an outcome would undermine longstanding state and federal universal service principles designed to ensure that no Californian is left without access to essential communications.

 

"California residents, businesses, and public safety agencies must not be left behind as telecommunications networks evolve," said Miles Menetrey, Mariposa County Supervisor and RCRC Board Chair. "Technological progress should improve service, not diminish it. Before existing services are discontinued, Californians deserve assurance that replacement technologies will provide equal or better functionality, reliability, and accessibility."

 

The amicus brief underscores the need to preserve access to universal service and ensure that any replacement technology meets or exceeds the reliability, functionality, and service quality of existing landline networks. It also raises concerns about efforts to limit California’s authority to enforce consumer protection and public safety regulations, particularly in areas where alternatives such as wireless service remain unreliable, inconsistent, or unavailable.

 

"Protecting our communities starts with keeping them connected,” said Ryan Campbell, Tuolumne County Supervisor and CSAC Executive Committee Member. “When disasters and power outages strike, losing reliable communications can isolate entire communities and delay emergency response when seconds matter most. California must preserve the longstanding obligation that ensures every community has access to dependable telephone service."

RCRC and CSAC support strengthening California’s communications infrastructure. However, concerns remain about whether existing alternatives are fully ready to replace traditional landline service across all communities with the same level of reliability and coverage. California communities must remain protected, connected, and able to rely on communications services.

 

ABOUT RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA (RCRC)

The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a forty-member county service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. RCRC is dedicated to representing the collective unique interests of its membership, providing legislative and regulatory representation at the State and Federal levels, and providing responsible services for its members to enhance and protect the quality of life in rural California counties. To learn more about RCRC, visit rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 

ABOUT CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (CSAC)

The California State Association of Counties serves as the effective advocate and unified voice of California’s 58 counties. Visit counties.org to learn more.

 

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