FCC to Vote on Plans to Speed Up Copper Retirement & Accelerate Modern Network Rollout

• March 12, 2026

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans to hold a vote later this month to speed up the removal of copper networks. The meeting, set for March 26, aims to vote on rules that will see communities across the United States move from slow legacy copper lines and onto new, high-speed networks.

According to the FCC, the rules will allow providers to retire their decades-old and increasingly expensive copper line networks, freeing up tens of billions of dollars annually for the rollout of more modern networks.

"This FCC decision will free up billions of dollars in private capital so that Americans in communities across the country can go from old and slow copper lines to modern, high-speed ones," said Brendan Carr, chairman of the FCC. "For too long, outdated regulations have forced providers to keep consumers on antiquated networks. We will cut through that red tape with this decision. This FCC vote will finally allow those Americans to benefit from an upgrade to next-gen infrastructure."

The FCC noted that it will take several actions to bring the regulatory environment in line with today's communications marketplace, while retaining or adopting safeguards to protect public safety and ensure 911 continuity.

Sources:

docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-419224A1.pdf