When the Cable company installed the VOIP, they intentionally cut up the copper lines coming in, those can be repaired with splicing, but good luck actually getting AT&T to re-install a land line, that's a low priority service to my understanding (at least in my area). I ditched my copper Land line as they kept raising it every few months, & I could only call 10 miles or less before it became a Long distance call.
They were driving people that still have landlines to cancel by the pricing increases. It was close to $45/month for basic service (no extras like ID, Waiting etc.) when I got rid of it in 2018.
I agree though you really can't beat a true Land Line for reliability. I have a flip for a mobil & personally cannot stand the thin monolithic piece of glass.... remember the apes staring at the monolith in 2001? I see that every day now with people staring at their Cell phones.