Light Reading Podcasts AT&T's copper shutdown project takes 'wireless-first' approach
Jan 28, 2026
Susan Johnson, Senior Executive VP of Transformation and Global Supply Chain at AT&T, leads the company’s copper shutdown and logistics efforts. She discusses the wireless-first vs fiber-first scaling strategy, customer migration pathways like AT&T Phone Advanced and Internet Air, regulatory and 911 transition challenges, and sustainability benefits from reclaiming copper.
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Rationale For Phasing Out Copper
- AT&T is exiting a 70-year-old copper network because fewer than 2% of customers still use it and satisfaction is low.
- Moving customers to fiber and wireless improves service while reducing operational cost and energy use.
First Wire Center Powered Down
- AT&T has already powered down its first wire center after migrating customers away from copper.
- The company has stopped selling new copper services in about 85% of its wire centers to accelerate transitions.
Prove Replacements Meet Regulatory Tests
- Work closely with regulators and prove replacement services meet strict latency and availability requirements.
- Give regulators time and testing data so discontinuance becomes effective only after a 12-month customer notification window.