Baldwin raises concerns that rural Wisconsinites could be left without reliable phone service, including during emergencies
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) demanded answers from Verizon CEO Dan Schulman regarding the company’s plan to transition away from copper-based voice service, raising concerns that some Wisconsinites could be left without reliable phone service if an adequate alternative is not in place, particularly in rural areas where wireless or other replacement services may be limited. Baldwin’s call comes as Verizon plans to retire copper facilities at 136 Wisconsin wire centers and discontinue traditional landline service.
“While I recognize the need to modernize aging telecommunications infrastructure, I am concerned that some affected Wisconsinites, particularly those in rural areas, may not have access to an immediate, adequate and reliable replacement service,” wrote Senator Baldwin in the letter to Verizon CEO Dan Schulman. “These concerns are especially important where customers rely on landline service for emergency communications.”
“I request that Verizon commit to ensuring that no Wisconsin customer loses copper-based voice service until an adequate replacement has been successfully installed and activated,” Baldwin concluded.
Despite Verizon’s assurances, Wisconsin communities remain concerned that available alternatives may be inadequate because of geographic limitations, high costs associated with certain replacement options, and existing gaps in reliable cellular coverage.
In her letter, Senator Baldwin pressed Verizon to answer several questions about its plans to retire copper-based telephone service across Wisconsin, including:
- How many Wisconsin customers currently receive voice service over copper facilities Verizon intends to retire? Please provide the number of residential and business customers, broken down by county and wire center.
- What replacement voice services has Verizon identified for affected Wisconsin customers, including fiber, fixed wireless, mobile wireless, cable/VoIP, or service provided by another carrier? How many customers are expected to rely on each type of replacement?
- How many affected Wisconsin customers, if any, do not currently have a verified replacement voice service available?
- How will Verizon verify that replacement service is available at a customer’s location? Does verification mean map coverage, an address-level serviceability check, confirmation that service can actually be ordered and installed, on-site testing, or some other standard?
- What process is available when a customer disputes Verizon’s determination that an adequate replacement exists? Will Verizon maintain existing copper service while such a dispute is resolved?
- What protections will replacement services provide for reliable 911 access during power outages and other emergencies? What battery-backup capabilities will Verizon provide, and for how long are those systems expected to operate during an outage?
- How will the cost of replacement services, including installation, equipment, and recurring charges, compare with the cost of customers’ existing copper-based voice service?
- Are any affected customers located in areas where Verizon or Frontier plans to deploy fiber or other upgraded infrastructure? If so, will Verizon maintain existing copper voice service until that planned network is operational and available to the customer?
Full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Mr. Schulman,
I am reaching out regarding Verizon’s planned discontinuance of legacy telecommunications services, including Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), and the related retirement of copper facilities across Wisconsin. As part of Verizon and Frontier Communications’ Section 214 discontinuance application (WC Docket No. 26-170), Verizon may begin discontinuing covered TDM/POTS voice services on or after November 16, 2026. Separately, Verizon has announced plans to retire remaining copper facilities at 136 wire centers across Wisconsin. While I recognize the need to modernize aging telecommunications infrastructure, I am concerned that some affected Wisconsinites, particularly those in rural areas, may not have access to an immediate, adequate and reliable replacement service. These concerns are especially important where customers rely on landline service for emergency communications.
To better understand how Verizon intends to protect affected customers during this transition, I request that you provide answers to the following questions:
- How many Wisconsin customers currently receive voice service over copper facilities Verizon intends to retire? Please provide the number of residential and business customers, broken down by county and wire center.
- What replacement voice services has Verizon identified for affected Wisconsin customers, including fiber, fixed wireless, mobile wireless, cable/VoIP, or service provided by another carrier? How many customers are expected to rely on each type of replacement?
- How many affected Wisconsin customers, if any, do not currently have a verified replacement voice service available?
- How will Verizon verify that replacement service is available at a customer’s location? Does verification mean map coverage, an address-level serviceability check, confirmation that service can actually be ordered and installed, on-site testing, or some other standard?
- What process is available when a customer disputes Verizon’s determination that an adequate replacement exists? Will Verizon maintain existing copper service while such a dispute is resolved?
- What protections will replacement services provide for reliable 911 access during power outages and other emergencies? What battery-backup capabilities will Verizon provide, and for how long are those systems expected to operate during an outage?
- How will the cost of replacement services, including installation, equipment, and recurring charges, compare with the cost of customers’ existing copper-based voice service?
- Are any affected customers located in areas where Verizon or Frontier plans to deploy fiber or other upgraded infrastructure? If so, will Verizon maintain existing copper voice service until that planned network is operational and available to the customer?
I request that Verizon commit to ensuring that no Wisconsin customer loses copper-based voice service until an adequate replacement has been successfully installed and activated.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
An online version of this release is available here.
