The copper network switch-off creates a waste problem, but also a financial opportunity

Full copper technical decommissioning (that is, the complete switch-off of all copper network infrastructure and the termination of all copper-based services) becomes an option as soon as all customers in a given area have access to next-generation networks (typically those based on FTTP or fixed-wireless access (FWA) technologies).

However, once this decommissioning process is complete, telecoms operators find themselves sitting on a lot of redundant copper infrastructure. This creates a waste issue and an income opportunity, although recovery and monetisation are not always simple. A partnership approach can enable an operator to extract and monetise legacy assets without distracting from its core business.