By Iley Joe, Broadband and Digital Access Policy Research Fellow at Gen-Z Emerging Technology Action (ZETA)
In the United States, where 96% of people have internet access and nearly four in five adults rely on home broadband, digital connectivity has become as fundamental as electricity. Yet in many communities, especially those that are rural or low-income, that connection remains fragile. Service can vanish not only because of outdated infrastructure, but also because of a quieter and more insidious threat: the theft and destruction of copper wiring.
For those living in underserved or unserved areas, the loss can mean days or even weeks without internet. In an era when school, work, healthcare, and public safety depend on a stable connection, these outages are more than inconveniences.
Copper: The Backbone Few Talk About
National policy has largely focused on expanding modern networks, particularly fiber optics, with its speed and reliability. Yet copper remains the backbone for millions of households, especially in places where fiber has not yet reached. Its vulnerability is growing.
In one striking case, thieves made off with $20,000 worth of copper wiring along U.S. 61 North. The damage left parts of the community not only without broadband, but without reliable emergency communications. Such incidents are not rare. They have become part of a broader pattern, disproportionately harming the same communities that have historically been left on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Recognizing this risk, a bipartisan effort in Congress led by Representative Laurel Lee of Florida and Representative Marc Veasey of Texas seeks to strengthen protections. Their proposed legislation, the Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025, would increase penalties for the theft and sabotage of broadband infrastructure and bolster enforcement mechanisms. It is a measure aimed squarely at preserving access for the communities most at risk of losing it.
A Future in Fiber, Without Abandoning Copper
While copper’s limitations are real, so too is its necessity in many places, at least for now. The future of broadband will require balance: protecting the infrastructure that exists while building the next generation of networks.
Some companies are already moving in that direction. AT&T, for example, is set to finalize its acquisition of Lumen’s Mass Markets fiber internet business in 2026, expanding its fiber footprint and offering faster, more reliable service to millions more customers. Yet its investments in modernization are accompanied by a continued role for copper in communities where it remains essential.
The Federal Communications Commission, now working with the clarity provided by a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, is well positioned to support both goals. The 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill further strengthens the case for targeted infrastructure funding that can secure older networks while accelerating the buildout of fiber.
A Call from a Connected Generation
For Generation Z, which has never known a world without the internet, the stakes are high. Connectivity is the bedrock of education, careers, social engagement, and safety. Protecting it is a national responsibility.
Congress has the opportunity to act decisively, following the lead of Representatives Lee and Veasey, to safeguard the copper lines that millions still depend on while advancing the fiber future that will define the decades ahead.
The broadband of tomorrow will be fiber. But the broadband of today still depends on copper. A truly resilient digital America will invest in both.
Sources:
Pew Research Center. “Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet.” November 13, 2024.
Pew Research Center. “Memo: What Makes a Community ‘Unserved’ or ‘Underserved’ by Broadband?” May 3, 2023.
U.S. Representative Laurel Lee. “Rep. Laurel Lee Introduces Bill to Protect American Broadband Consumers.” Press Release, April 10, 2025.
Tatum Todd. “Copper-Wire Thieves Are Knocking Out Streetlights Across Portland, Leaving Highways – and Police – in the Dark.” The Oregonian, July 3, 2025.
Sabrina Simms Robertson. “Theft of $20K Worth of Fiber, Copper Lines Causes AT&T Internet, Phone Outage Along U.S. 61 North.” The Natchez Democrat, July 8, 2025.
AT&T. “AT&T to Acquire Lumen’s Mass Markets Fiber Business.” AT&T Corporate Newsroom, July 22, 2025.
Congressional Research Service. “FCC v. Consumers’ Research: High Court Rejects Challenge to Universal Service Fund.” CRS Legal Sidebar No. LSB11301, July 18, 2025.
