AT&T Copper Theft Disrupts Hollywood Hills Landlines

AT&T has identified copper wire theft as the cause of a landline service disruption affecting parts of the Hollywood Hills. The telecommunications company confirmed the outage is linked to an ongoing theft in the region, though it has not specified the exact number of customers impacted.

The issue has left residents in the Laurel Canyon section without phone service since last Thursday. This area is known for poor cellular coverage, making landlines a primary method of communication for many households. The nonprofit We Are Laurel Canyon, which advocates for local public safety, reported that the outages began five days prior to the current date.

Longtime residents argue that the loss of service poses a safety risk. Ruth Vitale, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1988, stated that she pays $228 monthly for landline access to ensure connectivity during emergencies. She described the situation as terrifying, noting that power outages during storms can further disable communication devices. Vitale recalled a four-day power cut two years ago that left her phone inoperable.

Kristen Stavola, the executive director of We Are Laurel Canyon, emphasized the vulnerability of the community's older population. She noted that residents in their eighties and nineties rely on these lines to contact family members or alert others to emergencies. Stavola pointed out that the area contains numerous cell service dead zones, a factor that deepens residents' dependence on wired connections.

AT&T stated that its crews are currently working to repair the infrastructure. The company has not provided a timeline for when service will be fully restored to the affected customers. The outage continues as of Wednesday, with neighbors still unable to use their landline phones.