BT's old copper phone network could fetch over £2 billion
As the UK shifts to full-fiber broadband, BT's retired copper telephone network could bring in more than £2 billion ($2.7 billion) due to surging global copper prices.
BT, the UK's telecom giant, could reap an unexpectedly large windfall from the copper network it is phasing out in favor of full-fiber broadband. According to The Guardian, the company could earn more than £2 billion ($2.7 billion) by recycling metal from its old phone lines — well above an earlier estimate of around £1.5 billion.
The jump is being driven by soaring global demand for copper, fueled by the buildout of AI data centers, renewable energy projects, and electrification efforts. With demand expected to keep climbing over the next decade, the value of BT's recovered copper could end up exceeding even the new £2 billion figure.
Openreach's fiber rollout
BT subsidiary Openreach is currently replacing its legacy copper lines with full-fiber broadband, aiming to connect 30 million homes by the end of the decade. The company has already recovered nearly 10,000 metric tons of copper in its most recent financial year, and more than 22,000 metric tons since 2023. Openreach's head of sustainability, Abby Chicken, said copper has become one of the most strategic materials in the modern economy.
BT is already cashing in on the recovered metal, having struck a deal with cable recycling firm EMR and recently receiving a £99 million upfront payment for recovered copper.
Thieves take notice
The rising value of copper has also made old landline cables a growing target for theft, with entire neighborhoods sometimes losing service after cables are stolen. In response, Openreach has begun marking some cables with synthetic DNA and UV tracers to help track stolen material.
