The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans to hold a vote later this month to speed up the removal of copper networks.

The meeting, set for March 26, aims to vote on rules that will see communities across the US move from "slow" legacy copper lines and onto new, high-speed networks.

According to the agency, the rules will allow providers to retire their decades-old and increasingly expensive copper line networks, freeing up tens of billions of dollars annually for the rollout of more modern networks.

The FCC didn't name these networks, but will likely be referring to fiber, which has been a huge focus for the 'Big 3' US telcos in the last couple of years.

“This FCC decision will free up billions of dollars in private capital so that Americans in communities across the country can go from old and slow copper lines to modern, high-speed ones," said Brendan Carr, chairman of the FCC.

"For too long, outdated regulations have forced providers to keep consumers on antiquated networks. We will cut through that red tape with this decision. This FCC vote will finally allow those Americans to benefit from an upgrade to next-gen infrastructure."

The FCC noted that it will take several actions to "bring the regulatory environment in line with today’s communications marketplace, while retaining or adopting safeguards to protect public safety and ensure 911 continuity."

Telecoms trade association USTelecom has welcomed the proposed plans.

"Bravo to the FCC – coming off the 30th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act, the Commission has taken a critical step toward releasing consumers from legacy copper networks and the rules that govern them," said Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO, USTelecom.

"With this draft order, the FCC is working toward updating rules to reflect reality, accelerating America’s transition from outdated copper infrastructure to the modern, high-speed networks consumers consistently choose and rely on.

US telcos, including AT&T, have pushed to retire and remove legacy copper from their networks in favor of deploying fiber.