Carrier of Last Resort (COLR)

AT&T has requested to be relieved of its Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) obligations in certain areas of California. If approved, AT&T California (landline service, separate from cellular) would no longer be required to offer landline telephone service where it is currently required to offer Basic Service in those areas. Basic Service includes nine service elements such as Lifeline rates for eligible customers, free access to 9-1-1, Telephone Relay Service, and directory and operator services. More information on Basic Service is available at here.

Opportunities for Public Comment and Participation

The CPUC  will hold in-person and virtual public forums for customers of AT&T to provide input into the company’s two proposals to remove its obligation under California to provide voice services in its service territories.

Remote Access Options for the March 19th VIrtual Public Forums:  

• Live video broadcast with English or Spanish captions via webcast: www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc

  • Participants who choose to view via webcast will have audio and video but will not be able to make verbal comments. If you would like to make comment during the forums, phone-in @ 1-800-857-1917 Code: 60322788#

  • For captions, after clicking on the name of the meeting, click the green button below the video for captions. Then select captions by clicking on the white icon next to the word “live” at the bottom of the video.

  • The public forums will be recorded and archived for future viewing.

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  Does an ETC provide California LifeLine?

  In California, the CPUC also approves and denies applications for state funding for programs to provide universal support, including California LifeLine (California’s program is called LifeLine with a capital “L” for “Line”). The California LifeLine program is separate from the federal Lifeline program. An ETC may be a provider of California LifeLine as well as federal Lifeline, but eligibility to provide California LifeLine is not limited to only ETC providers.

  What is AT&T’s request in this application?

  AT&T is applying to give up its ETC designation, which would allow it to no longer offer federal Lifeline, as well as other federal programs designed to subsidize telecommunications support for low-income individuals and individuals located in remote areas. AT&T’s participation in the California LifeLine program is a separate matter from this application to give up its ETC designation. AT&T asserts that it is not necessary to keep its ETC designation because it no longer receives any federal high-cost support from the federal government to provide universal service. By relinquishing its ETC designation, AT&T will no longer be eligible to receive federal support to provide Lifeline, which could potentially affect all current AT&T Lifeline customers.

  What areas are impacted by AT&T’s request to give up its ETC designation?

  All areas of AT&T’s service territory where it currently holds ETC designation, which is the same as its Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) service territory, could be impacted if the CPUC approves AT&T’s application. Here is a map of the different COLR service territories in California, including AT&T’s.

Visit this link to submit public comment: