AT&T is bidding farewell to its aging copper-based home phone and DSL services, announcing today the launch of a new cellular-powered home phone alternative designed to ease the transition for millions of customers. Dubbed AT&T Phone – Advanced, this innovative service allows users to keep their existing home phones while connecting through AT&T’s robust wireless network, packed with modern features and priced at a competitive starting rate of $45 per month. The move comes as the telecom giant sets an ambitious target to phase out its legacy copper infrastructure across most of its footprint by the end of 2029.
The shift marks the end of an era for traditional landlines, which have dwindled in use as mobile phones and internet-based options dominate. AT&T’s copper network, once the backbone of American communication, is now seen as costly to maintain and ill-suited for today’s digital demands. “We’re modernizing our network to deliver faster, more reliable services,” said Susan Johnson, AT&T’s Executive VP of Wireline Transformation. “This new offering ensures no one loses their voice connection while we exit the copper era.” The company aims to replace copper with fiber and wireless solutions, targeting 50 million fiber locations by decade’s end, though not all areas will get fiber upgrades.
AT&T Phone – Advanced stands out by letting customers plug their current home phones into a receiver that taps into the cellular network, with broadband as a failover option with its $50 plan. It comes with local and long-distance calling, Call Forwarding, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Digital Phone Call Protect to block spam, E911 location detection with a 24-hour battery backup, 3-way calling, and anonymous call blocking.
This comes as still fax machines, security systems, and medical devices—and more still need traditional phone service.
Priced at $45 monthly—versus the $80 average for traditional landlines—the service undercuts its predecessor while offering more. The 24-hour battery backup addresses reliability concerns, though cordless phones may need separate power sources during outages. AT&T’s testing, spanning 2 million calls last September, has bolstered confidence in its rollout, with 16,000 customers already switched. The company is now pushing to migrate the remaining 5% of its residential base still on copper, excluding California, where regulators have resisted the shutdown.
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