June 3, 2025 – Three Spectrum fiber optic lines were cut in the Kansas City area, in May, according to the Kansas City Star, continuing a trend of network infrastructure vandalism linked to copper wire theft.
The price of copper wire has risen 30 percent in the last five years and the theft of this crucial material has run rampant. From June to December of 2024, 5,770 incidents of theft/vandalism of network infrastructure were reported across the country, according to one study by NCTA – The Internet & Television Association.
Alex Minard, vice president and lead legislative counsel at NCTA, reported 4,000 acts of vandalism in a three month period at a Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel in March…