-AT&T must continue to provide landlines for Californians who still need them.

That's the ruling from the California Public Utilities Commission, who rejected AT&T's application to stop providing landlines and other services in areas where there is no other option.

Its 4-0 vote came after a judge determined the application by AT&T California was "fatally flawed."

AT&T is the Carrier of Last Resort for California, an official designation that means it covers most major cities, rural communities, and the land of more than a hundred tribal governments.

AT&T has argued that the people its landlines are now serving in these areas can turn to voice-over-internet service offered by cable providers, or a mobile phone service offered by wireless providers like Verizon.

But opponents say that due to inconsistent cell coverage in their area, their landline is their primary means of communication with family, medical providers, and the outside world in the event of an emergency.

These concerns are particularly important for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Sonoma County resident, Steve Hogle, told commissioners that spotty cell phone coverage was a danger to his family during the 2019 Kincaid wildfire.

-If we hadn't had our copper landline that we do have now, we would've not known about the evacuation and the extremely serious fire that went through here and took out most of our property.

I don't want VOIP because if there's no power, there's no internet.

All of these things are of extreme importance to the safety of this community out here where we live.

-AT&T has tried to end Carrier of Last Resort designation obligations in roughly half of US states, but those efforts don't always stay within the confines of the law, according to federal prosecutors.

Meanwhile, the Commission's decision doesn't end the Carrier of Last Resort debates in California.

AT&T and some California legislature members support Assembly Bill 2797, which would effectively bring an end to some Carrier of Last Resort obligations.

For CalMatters, I'm Khari Johnson.