Yesterday, while trying to figure out how to eliminate some bills to cut down on costs, I had the bright idea of turning off my landline. I called AT&T and asked them to cancel my service. "By the way, will I still be able to dial 9-1-1 even without service?" "No, if we disconnect your line, it's totally disconnected. You can call 9-1-1 from your cell phone if you have one."
That didn't sound right to me, so I tried to Google it, and found California Public Utilities Code Section 2883, which does list the requirement for carriers to provide a "soft" dial tone so that non-subscribers can call 9-1-1 in case of emergency. I called AT&T back with this information, but for my pains, was told that the requirement was no longer in place as of 2012.
In conclusion, if you are worried about access to 9-1-1 service in the event that your cell phone service is disabled in an emergency, you might want to retain a landline.
Good to know!
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