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FCC halts Verizon copper landline phase-out proposal
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What changed
2026-09-26 16:11 UTC → 2026-09-30 15:03 UTC ·
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FCC halts Verizon copper landline phase-out proposal
Verizon filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to phase out its legacy “plain old telephone service” (POTS) across approximately a dozen states and Washington, D.C. The company cited the high cost of maintaining aging copper infrastructure, noting that the metal is increasingly prone to theft and that replacement parts are difficult to find. Verizon argued the transition is necessary to redirect investment toward modern fiber-optic and wireless technologies. Concerns were raised regarding service reliability in rural areas where cellular service may be unreliable or where fiber infrastructure is lacking. In response to these concerns, Critics, including the Virginia Association of Counties and Congressman Ben Cline, noted that traditional copper lines can function during power outages, which is critical for accessing 911 services. The FCC paused has since halted the automatic approval of Verizon’s request, preventing the application from being granted on its scheduled date. This pause provides federal regulators more time to review of the proposal, which covers nine states including Arizona, Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. though the FCC clarified that this is “not a final determination on the merits” of the request. Verizon has stated it intends to discontinue the affected services on or after October 23, 2026, pending required federal authorization. The company maintains it will not discontinue service if a Commission-approved replacement is unavailable and plans to confirm the availability of replacement services at specific addresses before transitioning customers. The company intends to use tools to measure signal strength for proposed wireless alternatives, such as cellular-based fixed wireless service with battery backups.
Versions
- 2026-09-30 15:03 UTC FCC halts Verizon copper landline phase-out proposal
- 2026-09-26 16:11 UTC Verizon copper landline phase-out proposal
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