AT&T has federal approval to discontinue certain copper-based landline services in portions of 89 Kansas wire centers on or after Nov. 15. Customers should check their AT&T notices or contact the company to confirm whether their line is affected and its scheduled termination date.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) automatically approved AT&T's application on Jan. 12 after a 31-day review period, according to Broadband Breakfast. The filing covers wire centers serving about 90,000 customers across 18 states, including Kansas and Missouri. In Missouri, 86 communities are on the list, KCTV5 reported.

Who is affected

The approval covers specific wire centers, not every AT&T line in the state. According to the Metro Colo Advisory copper retirement tracker, the notice letter a customer received is what determines whether a particular line is affected. AT&T mailed residential notices between Nov. 3 and Nov. 14, 2025, and business notices on Nov. 14, 2025, according to the tracker's review of the filing. The sample letter in the filing states the service "will be discontinued on November 15, 2026."

Residents in Olathe, Lenexa, Gardner, De Soto and Spring Hill who have AT&T copper landlines should check whether they received a notice. Being in one of the 89 Kansas communities listed in the filing does not by itself mean a line is affected, the tracker notes.

Seniors and medical devices at risk

The change hits hardest for customers who rely on copper-based medical alert systems, burglar alarms or elevator phones, KCTV5 reported. Those customers should contact both AT&T and their device provider to confirm service will continue after the switch.

Rhonda Johnson, AT&T's executive vice president of federal regulatory relations, said in a statement that the approval is "an important milestone" as the company works to bring newer technologies to customers, according to Broadband Breakfast's reporting.

AT&T has said it spends $6 billion a year maintaining its roughly 4,600 copper wire centers and aims to retire the large majority of its copper network outside California by the end of 2029, Broadband Breakfast reported.

What AT&T is offering

AT&T is directing affected customers toward two alternatives: a broadband-based landline replacement service or a standard mobile line. One option, AT&T Phone-Advanced, is built to support legacy devices like fax machines, alarm systems and medical monitoring equipment over wireless or fiber networks, according to Broadband Breakfast.

Nov. 15 is the first day shutoffs can begin, not a single cutoff date for all customers, the Metro Colorado Advisory tracker clarifies.

What to do now

Residents unsure whether their line is affected can call AT&T at 1-800-288-2020. Seniors and customers with disabilities can reach AT&T's Disability and Aging Center at 1-800-772-3140.