U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is pressing Verizon regarding the telecommunications giant’s proposal to transition away from copper-based voice service
Oct 11, 2026, 7:28 PM ET
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U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is pressing Verizon CEO Dan Schulman regarding the telecommunications giant’s proposal to transition away from copper-based voice service. Baldwin expressed strong concerns that thousands of residents, particularly those in rural communities, could lose crucial phone connectivity without an adequate replacement in place.
The transition plan involves retiring copper facilities across 136 Wisconsin wire centers and fully discontinuing traditional landline offerings. While acknowledging the broader industry push to modernize aging infrastructure, Baldwin emphasized in a letter to Schulman that many affected Wisconsinites rely on traditional landlines for emergency communications during power outages or cellular blackouts.
To protect consumers, Baldwin requested that Verizon guarantee no customer loses existing copper service until a functional, tested, and reliable alternative is fully activated. Local communities remain wary of the shift due to geographic limitations, high equipment costs, and recurring gaps in cellular service across rural regions.
In her letter, Baldwin outlined key questions demanding detailed customer breakdowns by county and wire center, specifics on replacement technologies like fiber or fixed wireless, and details on how serviceability will be verified. She also questioned how dispute resolution will function for consumers, what emergency battery-backup safeguards exist for 911 access, and how new pricing models compare to existing landline service costs.
Todd Coppernoll oversees local news for WRCO and WRCE radio in Richland Center. Having served Richland Center as Mayor for three terms, Todd brings a unique perspective, and a familiar voice to the news. The focus is local, and so is the reporter.
Adam Hess has been involved in radio broadcasting since 1990, with many of those years spent on the air at WRCO FM in Richland Center. Currently, Adam hosts the Weekend Wake-up and Prime Mover Saturdays on WRCO FM, jumps in and helps out with news duties, handles Social Media duties for WRCO and WRCE, and is the Director of Technology at a Southwest Wisconsin School District. Reach him at adam.hess@civicmedia.us.
