June 4, 2026
Fourth Summit Underscores Consumer Costs, Public Safety Risks, and Need for Stronger Enforcement, Prosecution, and Coordination Between Stakeholders
Philadelphia, PA, (June 4, 2026) – Two reports released at today’s fourth Telecom Industry Summit: Protecting Critical Communications Infrastructure reveal an escalation in criminal attacks on broadband and communications networks, with over 18,000 incidents in 2025 disrupting service for 11.8 million customers nationwide.
The updated report, “Protecting the Nation’s Critical Communications Infrastructure from Theft & Vandalism,” details the scope of these attacks and their daily impact across the country. In addition, an updated economic analysis, “The Real Costs of Communications Outages Due to Infrastructure Theft or Vandalism,” by Edward Lopez, Ph.D., estimates that such disruptions imposed societal costs, mostly borne by consumers, ranging from $294 million to $1.47 billion in 2025.
These reports underscore a troubling trend: attacks are increasing, costs are rising, and consumers are bearing the burden. These incidents can disrupt emergency response and public safety communications, as well as business operations, healthcare, transportation, and everyday connectivity. The resulting outages can leave communities without critical communications services, while repairs and replacements can cost millions of dollars.
Summit Response
Industry leaders from Comcast, Charter Communications, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, NCTA, USTelecom, CTIA, ACA Connects, WIA, and other organizations convened today in Philadelphia with key stakeholders to discuss efforts to better protect communications infrastructure, strengthen coordination with law enforcement, and advance policies aimed at safeguarding essential networks. FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty delivered a keynote address at the event.
Attendees exchanged information on emerging threats, reviewed recent policy and legislative developments, and identified practical steps to help deter attacks on communications assets. This included a panel focused on cross-industry challenges featuring representatives from public transit, hospitals, community safety organizations, police departments, and port operations.
Updated Critical Attacks Report
Key findings from the updated report show the scale of the problem:
- 18,327 incidents nationwide were reported in 2025, affecting 11.8 million customers.
- With an average of 1,527 incidents per month, there was a 59% increase in attacks since 2024.
- The surge in attacks is not random. It is being driven by a combination of economic incentives tied to copper theft, including mistaken attempts to steal copper from fiber facilities that contain no copper, as well as insufficient enforcement, inconsistent prosecution, and regulatory gaps.
Consumer Cost Impact
Dr. Lopez’s updated analysis shows how these attacks impose societal costs that extend well beyond infrastructure repair costs.
Key findings include:
- In 2025, outages imposed $294 million to $1.47 billion in societal costs — many times the replacement cost of stolen copper or damaged equipment.
- In California and Texas, the estimated costs reached $252.6 million and $97.4 million, respectively.
- Communications outages can: delay or halt business operations, disrupt remote work and virtual learning, interrupt financial transactions and payment systems, and reduce productivity and customer access.
- Disruptions impact not only those directly cut off, but also everyone who depends on communicating with them through broader network effects.
Actions Underway:
State level: Thus far in 2026, over 23 states have introduced legislation, and 13 states have passed new laws strengthening protections for critical communications infrastructure. Colorado, Connecticut, Oregon, and Virginia adopted felony-level protections, continuing a broader wave of state action from 2025 and prior years.
Local level: Municipalities have also formed task forces, increased coordination with law enforcement, and worked more closely with providers to identify theft patterns, support investigations, improve rapid response times, strengthen evidence sharing, and help ensure cases are referred for appropriate prosecution.
Federal level: H.R. 2784, the Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025, has been introduced to criminalize attacks on privately owned communications networks.
Call to Action:
With attacks rising and consumer costs mounting, urgent action is needed.
Summit participants urged policymakers, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and prosecutors to treat theft and vandalism targeting communications networks as serious attacks on critical infrastructure. Addressing this threat will require stronger scrap-metal oversight, clearer critical infrastructure protections, enhanced penalties, and deeper coordination among providers, law enforcement, municipalities, prosecutors, and policymakers.
Participants also encouraged law enforcement officials to prioritize investigation of theft and vandalism incidents affecting communications networks and urged prosecutors to pursue appropriate charges where the evidence supports prosecution. Greater enforcement, improved information sharing, and consistent accountability are essential to deterring repeat offenses, protecting consumers, and ensuring communities retain access to reliable broadband, wireless, emergency, and public safety communications.