Updated
Updated · KY3 · Aug 28
AT&T Ends Copper Service in Fair Grove After 8 Theft Reports, Pushing 2029 Network Exit
Updated
Updated · KY3 · Aug 28

AT&T Ends Copper Service in Fair Grove After 8 Theft Reports, Pushing 2029 Network Exit

2 articles · Updated · KY3 · Aug 28

Summary

  • Fair Grove residents hit by damaged underground lines are being moved off AT&T’s copper network instead of getting repairs, leaving at least one household without landline or internet service for weeks.
  • AT&T said unexpected damage to its copper network prompted the shift to alternatives including AT&T Phone-Advanced, fiber or wireless, while a local resident said the company cited repeated copper thefts for not restoring service.
  • 8 copper-theft reports were filed by AT&T in Fair Grove over the past year, according to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, adding to the pressure to abandon aging copper infrastructure.
  • Susan Frame, who cares full-time for her disabled husband, said she was later offered AT&T Internet Air after repeated calls, but the replacement service had not yet been installed.
  • AT&T said it is notifying customers by direct mail as it works to exit the copper network across most of its footprint by the end of 2029.

Insights

Is AT&T using local copper thefts as a convenient excuse to abandon rural customers and force unwanted tech upgrades?
With AT&T legally abandoning its copper network by 2029, what happens when rural emergencies strike and wireless alternatives fail?