Economist: Retiring Copper Lines Could Free Up Billions for Carriers

University of Utah professor says maintaining aging copper networks costs major telecoms up to $7 billion per year.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Hal Singer, an economics professor at the University of Utah, has urged the FCC to allow telecom carriers to more quickly retire their old copper wire networks. In comments filed with the agency, Singer argued that the funds spent maintaining these aging copper lines could be better invested in newer fiber and wireless technologies if carriers were given more flexibility to phase out the legacy infrastructure.

Why it matters

As the telecom industry continues its transition to fiber-optic and 5G networks, the high costs of maintaining legacy copper lines have become a growing burden for major carriers. Allowing them to accelerate the retirement of these copper networks could free up significant capital for reinvestment in next-gen broadband infrastructure.

The details

According to Singer's estimates, the major telecom providers are spending up to $7 billion annually just to maintain their aging copper networks. He argues that these funds could be better deployed to expand fiber and fixed wireless coverage if carriers were given more regulatory flexibility to retire the copper lines.

  • On March 2, 2026, Hal Singer submitted comments to the FCC on this issue.

The players

Hal Singer

An economics professor at the University of Utah who filed comments with the FCC advocating for allowing telecom carriers to more quickly retire their copper networks.

FCC

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the telecommunications industry.

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What they’re saying

“Funds that would otherwise be deployed maintaining copper networks can be invested elsewhere, including fiber and fixed wireless technologies.”

— Hal Singer, Economics Professor, University of Utah (communicationsdaily.com)

What’s next

The FCC is expected to review Singer's comments and other feedback as it considers potential rule changes to give carriers more flexibility in retiring legacy copper infrastructure.

The takeaway

As telecom providers look to accelerate the transition to fiber and 5G, the high costs of maintaining aging copper networks have become a significant financial burden. Allowing carriers to more quickly phase out these legacy systems could free up billions in capital for reinvestment in next-generation broadband technologies.