El Dorado County (Feb 2, 2024) – Residents of El Dorado County face a critical communication challenge, particularly in rural settings where access is challenging and existing communication infrastructure is inadequate. A significant portion of the population relies exclusively on land-line telephone services for both telecommunications and internet connectivity, with a special emphasis on the indispensable role of land-line phones in facilitating emergency calls.
El Dorado County’s mountainous topography has led to a robust land-line telephone infrastructure, while cellular coverage remains limited and obstructed by natural barriers. Mobile phone services, especially in rural areas, are unreliable, and residents have developed a reliance on land-line telephones for emergency communication needs, including contacting family and first responder services such as 911.
The potential loss of AT&T service in El Dorado County poses a severe threat to the community, with adverse effects on residents’ ability to make crucial emergency calls. Concerns have been voiced regarding the inadequacy of mobile phone coverage due to limited cell tower infrastructure and susceptibility to power outages, exacerbating the dependence on land-line telephones for essential communication.
It is imperative that AT&T addresses and improves its land-line telephone service in El Dorado County. The absence of a suitable replacement or alternative services underscores the urgency of ensuring that residents have continued access to reliable land-line communication. This is not merely a matter of convenience but a crucial aspect of public safety and emergency response within the county. AT&T must take prompt and effective measures to enhance and sustain its land-line telephone services, thereby fulfilling its vital role in supporting the communication needs of El Dorado County residents.
— Letter from DISTRICT II SUPERVISOR GEORGE TURNBOO to the CA Public Utilities Commission —
February 2, 2024
CA Public Utilities Commission 300 Capitol Mall, Suite 500 Sacramento, CA 95814
Greetings California Public Utilities Commissioners,Residents of El Dorado County need land-line phones to be able to communicate with the outside world. Many residents in El Dorado County live in rural settings where access is difficult and communication infrastructure is lacking. In some cases, the residents rely exclusively on telephone infrastructure for both telecommunications and internet service. The residents especially rely on land-line telephone service for emergency calls.
The County of El Dorado has a mountainous topography that has considerable land-line telephone infrastructure built-out across the region. Cell tower and mobile phone services are lacking by comparison, due to the infeasibility of coverage from urban interface locations. Rural locations with cell towers still suffer obfuscation by naturally occurring obstacles throughout the county. As a result of spotty mobile phone coverage, residents have come to rely on land-line telephone for emergency calls to family or first responder services (911).
The loss of AT&T service in El Dorado County will adversely affect the region over time and inhibit resident’s ability to call during emergencies. The residents have expressed concerns that mobile phone coverage is lacking due to limited cell tower infrastructure and power outages causing coverage loss.Please ensure that AT&T telephone service to El Dorado County improves and continues servicing residents. AT&T has no replacement nor adequate alternatives for land-line telephone services in El Dorado County.
Thank you,
George Turnboo District 2 Supervisor County of El Dorado
