Tragedy elicits sharp criticism of AT&T from backcountry residents who share horror stories of outages, poorly maintained lines, and service hassles

CPUC encourages residents with phone land-line complaints to email public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
 

By Miriam Raftery
 

July 27, 2011 (Lyons Valley) – Llama rancher John Klacka knew he had to get help fast when he found his prized stud llama, Muneco, had been bitten by a rattlesnake on July 7. “He was foaming at the mouth and having trouble breathing,” he recalled. “I ran into the house and tried to call the vet—and my phone was dead. I thought `This can’t be happening.’”