Do you remember life before cellphones? Maybe not, but there are probably many readers who do.
As recently as the 1990s, most homes had one or two landlines per household. It was actually a big deal for a home to have two lines, one for the “kids” and a separate one for the adults.
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But in the later 1990s and earliest 2000s, as the price of cellphones came way down, they became ubiquitous.
By 2004 there were more cellphones than landlines in the U.S., and by some estimates, around 98 percent of people in the country own cellphones, according to Consumer Affairs data. Now there are even more cellphones than there are people on Earth.
But some people are still committed to their landlines, and a recent Centers for Disease Control study revealed some interesting data around landlines. First, people with a landline are more likely than wireless customers to own a home and are more likely to live in the Northeast.
Landline owners are also healthier: they are less likely to smoke or binge drink, and more likely to exercise, wear seat belts, and have health insurance, according to the research.
So even though nearly “everyone” in America has a cellphone, some people also like having a landline. Maybe it's because they they can’t afford a cellphone, or because they live in rural areas that have poor cell service.
Image source: Robert Alexander/Getty Images
AT&T attempting to change its commitment to landlines
AT&T's recent announcement that it wants to withdraw from being the “carrier of last resort,” ending its obligation to provide landline service across California, is angering many customers.
Millions of people in California still depend on their landlines for phone service, including emergency and “life alert” systems that don’t work on cellular networks.
So California Public Utilities Commission said “Not so fast,” and rejected AT&T’s request.
Now AT&T has taken the fight to the government.
More than a third (35%) of California residents still use landlines, and around 5% of Californians reside in rural areas where they depend on landlines. They might also have a cellphone, but they don't want to give up their landline. Many of the residents are elderly and have used landlines for decades.
Critics of the plan say AT&T is attempting to push people away from landlines because they are more expensive to maintain, and newer technologies mean higher profits for the company.
Before AT&T can stop landline service, they must have alternatives in place.
What is behind AT&T's push to end landlines?
Landlines depend on copper wiring, and copper theft has been a big and expensive problem for the carrier. This is one reason the company wants to end its commitment.
“To put things plainly, our current Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) policy no longer reflects the reality of today's competitive communications landscape in California,” said AT&T's Terri Nikole Baca to ABC7 Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, AT&T is hugely profitable. AT&T's first quarter 2025 earnings, released on April 23, 2025, showed a strong performance with revenue of $30.6 billion, a 2% increase year-over-year.
The company also reported an adjusted EPS of $0.51, which aligned with market expectations, and a free cash flow of $3.1 billion. These results were driven by growth in 5G mobility and fiber broadband businesses, according to AT&T's investor relations.
AT&T's second quarter 2025 earnings come out later this week (July 23).
Related: AT&T customers sound alarm on a frustrating problem
