Wireless is apparently the new copper

An AT&T effort to replace aging copper connections with wireless options is gaining regulatory steam, potentially paving the way for more operators to do the same. That could have significant implications for the wireless network operators offering those alternatives. According to the Federal Communications Commission, around 61 percent of the 121 million fixed residential connections in the US were cable in 2023, and roughly 23 percent were fiber. Around 9 percent were based on the copper technologies that operators like AT&T are working to retire. The remainder of all US fixed residential connections were terrestrial fixed wireless (6 percent) and satellite (2 percent), according to the FCC. AT&T plans to shut down copper-based services across the vast majority of its US territory by the end of 2029. Federal regulators do allow copper network shutdowns as long as operators provide notice to other carriers and do not discontinue regulated services. But the shutdown process has been fraught with uncertainty considering regulators have been concerned about specific geographic and demographic markets losing service, and what exact alternatives are available.