Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Easing Out Landline Phones in Kentucky

Major telephone companies could scale back land line service to residents in Kentucky's 15 largest markets in the state under a bill that passed the state Senate on Monday. At least two dozen other states have already deregulated their landline telephone services, the beginning of the end for the more than 100 year old technology that's being pushed out by cell phones and high-speed internet access.

The Senate vote Monday was 30-3. The so-called AT&T deregulation bill had previously won House approval. Gov. Steve Beshear has said he would sign it into law.

The bill only affects areas that have at least 15,000 households, meaning the rural mountainous parts of the state, famous for spotty cell phone coverage, would be unaffected.

AT&T says that the legislation would free up money for investment in rural broadband and wireless service, though the company has not had any details on how much money would be invested or what locations would be targeted.

The bill was amended in the House to extend from 30 to 60 days the grace period during which a customer who switches off of basic service could switch back.

The measure’s most vocal opponent has been Tom Fitzgerald, the director of the Kentucky Resources Council, who says it still doesn’t do enough to protect consumers. “We do know that problems have arisen because of gaps in coverage and gaps in functionality through this transition from this switch-network that we’ve relied on for over 100 years to this new network," he said.

The AT&T bill is the first legislation to pass both chambers in the 2015 Kentucky General Assembly.

Ryland Barton is the Managing Editor for Collaboratives. He's covered politics and state government for NPR member stations KWBU in Waco and KUT in Austin. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Texas. He grew up in Lexington.

Email Ryland at rbarton@lpm.org.
Related Content