AT&T CEO John Stankey (pictured) provided a framework for retiring the bulk of the company’s copper lines by 2029 during a Q4 earnings call, which includes an initial target of 1,300 central offices.

He explained the company received the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) approval in December 2024 to begin the process of discontinuing legacy voice services in the 1,300 central offices, which represent about one quarter of its total number.

“This was an important first step to establish a template that supports a deliberate and planned transition to a more capable and modern communications infrastructure,” he said.

The mobile operator plans to move those legacy customers over to its AT&T Phone-Advanced service that utilises its fibre connections or its fixed wireless access (FWA) Internet Air offering.

The operator expects to realise large cost savings as it works towards exiting its legacy copper network operations.

As part of its copper retirement plan, AT&T received a financial windfall of $850 million from the sale and leaseback of underused central office facilities from property company Capital Reign 

Stankey stated AT&T will make additional filings with the FCC over the coming weeks to stop selling its legacy copper service across the 1,300 central offices.

He added AT&T looks forward to working with the administration of President Donald Trump and new FCC chair Brendan Carr “to accelerate and advance policies and actions that stimulate investment and modernisation of the US communications infrastructure”.

On the tax reform side, Stankey is optimistic that the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress will set policies that stimulate economic growth and lead to accelerated investments.

“If the new Trump administration is successful in extending expiring tax incentives this year, we feel there’s ample opportunity for even more investment in US communications infrastructure.”

AT&T’s capital investment is projected to be in the range of $22 billion in 2025 as it continues to invest in its mobile network and fibre build out.  

Q4 numbers
The operator added 482,000 post-paid customers in Q4, which exceeds analysts’ estimate of 424,550, according to Visible Alpha.

Post-paid churn fell from 0.86 per cent year-over-year to 0.85 per cent, which the operator expects will lead the US industry.

Wireless revenue of $16.6 billion is up 33 per cent while consumer broadband revenue of $2.9 billion represents a 7.8 per cent increase.

The operator added 307,000 AT&T Fiber broadband customers and 158,000 FWA subscribers.

“Our combined success with AT&T Fiber and AT&T Internet Air continues to more than offset declines in our legacy copper subscriber base which helped us achieve 123,000 total broadband net ads in the quarter,” stated CFO Pascal Desroches

Revenue of $32.3 billion increased by 1 per cent, largely driven by higher mobility service, broadband service, and equipment revenue. Net income of $4.4 billion was up by 70 per cent.