CEO and his successor just had interviews explaining the future and selling off the network was not one of them. AT&T has been decommissioning the copper network for a while including the equipment and transport. Nearly all the Clec’s have already decommissioned their copper equipment in the central offices because they have also moved on to fiber and consolidated.
Future CEO guidance was 18 billion cash flow end of 2027, continuing to build out the fiber network to pass 50 million locations and mobility to 5G while decommissioning of copper network. They are going to repurchase AT&T stock and give back more dividends to shareholders. There is also a new product called AT&T Advanced phone service that connects seamlessly with customers old pots line and equipment at their location, it works off of the internet or cellular. The company is giving a five year notice to all that that they are decommissioning the old copper network by year end of 2029.
Technology happens and it’s time to move into the future while supporting the few still stuck in the past. Stagecoaches were used for transportation, now we drive automobiles. Now there are many viable solutions and providers so, continuing to regulate AT&T is punitive as the carrier of last resort, it needs to be lifted. The options of fiber, cellular, satellite, microwave from various companies are in place to cover all the needs.