Rep. Eshoo Statement on Withdrawn AT&T Legislation

Palo Alto, CA - U. S. Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (CA-16) released the following statement today about a California state bill that would have allowed AT&T to exit its obligation to be the Carrier of Last Resort (COLA). Under that obligation, the company must provide phone service to all customers, even if that means landlines in rural areas with unreliable cell service. AB 2797 was introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor and referred to a Senate committee, when the author pulled the bill, effectively killing it. In June, the California Public Utilities Commission denied AT&T's petition to withdraw from its COLA obligation.

"Today, my constituents scored a win with the withdrawal of state legislation that would have allowed AT&T to leave them without a landline to call 911 in an emergency and communicate daily in their rural settings where there is poor or non-existent broadband. This was a fight worth waging and I'm proud to have done so."

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