According to reports, AT&T expects to retire its copper network by 2029. Telecompetitor noted that “company executive” plans coincide with an aim to lay fiber broadband at 50 million locations – 45 million of which situated in its service footprint – that same year.
Citing AT&T EVP and GM, wireline transformation and supply chain, Susan Johnson, Telecompetitor noted that AT&T wants to shift customers toward fiber broadband and fixed wireless services, and away from copper voice and DSL services.
The website noted that AT&T allocates $6 billion each year to maintain the copper assets, despite only five percent still using it. AT&T’s copper network covers 500,000 square miles.
“Our legacy services,” said Johnson, also per Telecompetitor, “are no longer meeting our customer needs for speed, reliability or always-on connectivity.”
The outlet noted that AT&T’s strategy is to focus on the wire center, geographically, with 4,600 wire centers that each include a central office and outside plant.
The theoretical shift would occur in two phases:
- Targeting customers in areas where AT&T does not plan to deploy fiber, including about 50 percent of its landline footprint.
- Focusing on areas set for fiber by 2029.
AT&T plans to eliminate copper wire center customers by 2027, while continuing to serve those with fixed wireless and some satellite services. Telecompetitor noted that most AT&T customers are covered by these plans.
The plan, it was noted, necessitates federal and state regulations ease any COLR (carrier of last resort) rules.
