(Reuters) – A California state agency said on Thursday it had rejected AT&T (NYSE:)’s bid to be able to stop offering landline telephone service and other services as the “carrier of last resort.”

Marin County said AT&T’s request made in March 2023 would have ended services to over 580,000 eligible households throughout the state.

The California Public Utilities Commission said in rejecting AT&T’s request that the decision did not prevent AT&T from retiring facilities or from investing in fiber or other facilities or technologies to improve its network.