FCC Takes Aim at Outdated Copper Network Rules

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is working to modernize outdated rules that tie carriers to copper phone lines, which are diverting billions of dollars from fiber and wireless buildout. The rules were written when landlines dominated the market a generation ago, but now they hinder progress.

Joel Thayer and Ethan Tun argue that clinging to these strictures only delays America's transition to next-generation networks. They point out that AT&T alone spends more than $6 billion each year maintaining copper lines, while 2,425 voice service providers incur unnecessary costs to interconnect with and support the legacy network.

The authors explain that old copper networks are fragile and prone to theft, which can cause significant disruptions to services. They also highlight that consumers pay the price for these outdated rules, as every dollar spent patching deteriorating copper is a dollar not spent expanding fiber or upgrading high-speed Internet.

Despite progress made by the FCC in March, there is still much work to be done. The agency must address arcane and technical issues, such as ensuring the efficient interconnection of IP networks, and tackle contentious issues like forcing carriers to pay for connecting to copper networks.