June 20 (Reuters) - A California state agency said on

Thursday it had rejected AT&T's ( T ) 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 ( T ) 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 ( T ) request that the decision did not prevent AT&T ( T ) from

retiring copper facilities or from investing in fiber or other

facilities or technologies to improve its network.