FCC Proposes Accelerating Copper Wire Retirement

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to move ahead with its plans to delete and modernize regulations.  It was therefore encouraging to see among the items listed for the agency’s July 24, 2025 monthly meeting, an item entitled “Accelerating Upgrade Away from Old Copper Line Networks,”

Continued reliance on aging infrastructure is a significant impediment to increasing communications capabilities across the country.  Among the most ancient communications network materials is copper wire which went into use after Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876, leading to the first telephone exchanges in 1887.  While improvements were made during the ensuing decades, the need for improved technology to transmit large volumes of data across the country has led to the development of newer technologies like cable, fiber, and wireless gateways.

As vast amounts of data traffic move over the communications networks, copper wire is not essential, and where it is available, the risk of failures due to its susceptibility to water damage and power outages is increasing.  In addition, many businesses and households have moved away from using standard copper wire landlines to newer technologies, including Voice over Internet Protocol and wireless mobile phones.

The FCC’s proceeding will streamline the process involved in retiring copper wire.  The elimination of aging infrastructure will help communities more forward more quickly to adopt modern technologies that meet their communications needs.