AT&T White Pages: Nobody Wants 'Em

Some traditions go out with a bang. Here’s one dying without so much as a whimper.

Just two years ago, AT&T assumed it would get a lot of calls after the phone giant stopped automatic delivery of White Pages in parts of Atlanta. As it turns out, only 1 percent of the public asked to get a printed copy.

So now AT&T is asking to expand its White Pages blackout, if you will, to 18 Georgia communities that have populations of 50,000 or more. The request is expected to get approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission, meaning people in Augusta, Savannah, Columbus and other communities would have to ask for White Pages if they want them.

Since Yellow Pages and Business White Pages have sponsors, they’ll continue to be delivered. Under the plan, communities with less than 50,000 people would continue to receive the standard White Pages.

AT&T isn’t saying how much money the cutback will save. This is becoming increasingly common as more and more people rely on the Internet and telephone numbers stored in their cell phones. Automatic delivery of White Pages is being cut in many parts of the country as a cost-saving measure, but it appears that nobody seems to mind. And supporters of the environment have jumped on the bandwagon as well, touting the paper-saving move.