The beginning of the end to AT&T landline phone service as it was known for many decades will begin fading from existence beginning in 2027.

The copper based connection is being replaced by fiber and cellular communications.

As of June 2024, there are approximately 552,000 landline customers in the state of Illinois, with a majority being AT&T customers, according to the Citizens Utility Board (CUB).

Most of the landline customers are 65 years of age and older.

“I understand AT&T wanting to move away from copper lines. New technology is much more accurate and easier to maintain at this point, however, I know some people really like having their dedicated landlines.” Denise Pavlik, the Executive Director at the Laraway Communications Center in Will County, said.

“The people I worry about most with this are the elderly who live on their own and not in assisted living or nursing facilities. They may not have a wireless phone. They didn’t grow up with cell phones, they were well into their lives when they became popular and many see it as new technology that kind of scares them. I worry this may impact them more than anyone else.”

Pavlik said that 85-87% of emergency calls in their area come in from mobile or [Voice over Internet Protocol] VoIP numbers, internet connected calls.

She said that most of the remaining landline calls come from businesses and the elderly.

Bill Bodine, Illinois Farm Bureau Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs, said their organization will be watching to see about the service for those in rural areas.

“For rural folks, the primary issue here is that we want to ensure that they have service of some sort going forward so they can communicate. They can make phone calls. They’re able to still call 911 if needed, that’s a priority.” Bodine said.

According to CUB, landline customers have begun receiving letters about the change.

“[AT&T] has now received approval from state and federal officials to move forward on ending its landline service in Illinois,” CUB said in a release.

“For many customers traditional landlines have served as a reliable, affordable connection to family and friends as well as necessities such as 911 service, home security systems and medical monitoring devices. So CUB worked for years to block AT&T from deregulating local phone service.”

The switch will still allow customers the capability to call 911, Hayes said.

Bodine and CUB said if a customer has issues, they can contact the Illinois Commerce Commission to investigate.

“This is not the end of home phones and those original landline numbers that consumers cherish. Those can still be used with the newer technology,” Hayes said.

AT&T Phone – Advanced (AP-A) is a digital home phone service that works like a traditional landline and is offered at a comparable or sometimes lower cost, Hayes said.

Customers can keep their existing number and even use their current telephone.

AP-A uses AT&T’s wireless network or any broadband connection as a backup, allowing customers to stay connected during an outage. It includes a built-in battery to keep it powered for up to 24 hours.

In addition to all the features of a traditional landline, AP-A includes caller ID and call blocking to detect and block spam calls.

AP-A also works with a number other technologies, such as fax machines, alarms, elevators, and medical monitoring devices.

CUB gave these tips:

• The big difference between digital phone service and plain old telephone service is that calls travel over the Internet, instead of traditional phone lines. That means this service requires a broadband internet connection – and it also means without a battery backup digital phone service does not work when your electricity is down – or during an internet service outage.
• Wireless and digital service services use Enhanced 911 service, or E911. While the technology is improving, there are some instances – such as if you cannot verbally communicate your location – that E911 may have difficulty pinpointing your exact location in an emergency. In the case of digital phone service, ask your provider if you need to register your current address to ensure emergency services can locate your home.
• With digital phone service, you may be able to keep your current phone and phone number.

The process to switch begins in 2027 for copper landline customers. It is to be completed by 2029, Hayes said.

“It is not impacting everyone at once in 2027,” Hayes said.

Approval for this came in 2017 from the Federal Communication Commission and Illinois Commerce Commission.

Across AT&T’s national footprint, orders for traditional landline voice services have decreased 96% since 2014. Less than 2% of eligible customers are still using legacy copper voice technology, Hayes said.

Bodine said Illinois Farm Bureau will keep an eye on the switch over.

“That is our number one priority, to ensure that they have the ability to communicate. And like you said, specifically, you know, not just for communication purposes, but for emergency management, emergency calls,” Hayes said.

“And then second, we want to make sure they maintain an affordable level of service too.”