AT&T has announced it will invest $19 billion in California to bolster its fiber and wireless networks in the state by the end of 2030.

The investment will support the carrier's ambitions to help phase out legacy copper services in California.

According to AT&T, the telco is investing $3bn more each year in the next five years (2026-2030) than the previous five (2021-2025) – reaching $35bn invested over 10 years (2021-2030) in California’s network.

It comes on the same day that AT&T has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to discontinue traditional phone ​service in parts of the state where it has faster, more reliable services, reports Reuters.

The carrier notes that its copper service only serves around three percent of households in California. AT&T said it's "taking a phased, year-long approach to upgrade customers in these areas where better, more reliable services are available."

“With recent, forward-looking federal network modernization policies, we’re able to make our largest-ever California investment commitment ($19 billion) as we transition away from copper networks," said Susan Santana, state president of AT&T California.

"As the largest fiber builder in the state, this expands future-ready fiber and wireless services at affordable prices and modernizes copper networks. By investing in newer, more reliable technology, we can deliver better service, reach more customers, improve our communities, and support California’s economy for years to come.”

While AT&T is seeking to move customers away from copper for good, the carrier is obliged to continue providing these services in California as voted by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in June 2024 as part of AT&T's duties as Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) in the state.

However, AT&T has filed against the state in an effort to get out of this obligation, as the carrier announced its $19bn investment in California.

AT&T argues that copper is no longer capable of supporting current connectivity needs, while it also once again highlighted the issue of copper theft that has plagued its network across California.

Notably in October of last year, thieves broke into an AT&T cable vault in Los Angeles, California, taking down services for thousands of residents in the area.

AT&T offers rewards of up to $20,000 for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of those involved in copper cable theft.

The carrier states that moving away from copper will save ⁠an estimated 300 million kilowatt-hours annually by 2030, or the equivalent of eliminating emissions from 17 million gallons of gasoline. ​

The company also highlighted the copper theft issue, noting that the company's California network has suffered about ​2,000 outages ⁠from copper thefts this year.

As part of AT&T's plans to bolster its fiber offering, the carrier said it will bring fiber to an additional four million households and businesses in the state by the end of 2030, to reach 9 million fiber locations with the most advanced technology. 

The company will also expand its mobile network in California, through additional spectrum and by adding more than 1,200 cell sites by the end of 2030, including in rural, suburban, and urban communities.