Copper Wire Retirement at the Forefront of Next FCC Meeting

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has long called for the reduction of burdensome and outdated regulations, especially for technology and telecommunications.  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been at the forefront of this effort, beginning with its March 23, 2025, “Delete, Delete, Delete” docket seeking comments on which rules, regulations and guidance should be eliminated to reduce “unnecessary regulatory burdens,” and continuing with the Network and Services Modernization Order Reducing Barriers to Network Improvements and Service Changes; Accelerating Network Modernization proceeding that will be voted on during the FCC’s monthly meeting on March 26, 2026.

The replacement of copper wire networks will not only upgrade networks but is also vital to the security of telecommunications capabilities.   The theft of copper wire impacts businesses and consumers that rely on them for phone calls, including 911 emergency services, and access to the internet.  In 2025, copper prices rose by more than 30 percent, leading to a significant increase in the vandalism in cities like Los Angeles, which already has a tenfold increase in theft and vandalism between 2017 and 2022.

The FCC proceeding should be adopted, and Congress should also act to ensure that copper wire theft no longer hampers the modernization and resiliency of telecommunications networks across the country.