Business & Finance
BT's decommissioned copper network estimated to yield over $2.7 billion in scrap metal
Rising global demand from data centers and clean energy projects has increased the value of obsolete telecom wiring being replaced across the UK.
The short version
- Telecom provider BT is extracting value from its legacy UK telephone network as subsidiary Openreach replaces copper lines with full-fiber infrastructure.
- Higher global copper prices driven by electrification, AI data centers, and renewable energy have lifted the projected total return from recycling the network to over £2 billion ($2.7 billion).
- Openreach has partnered with recycling firm EMR and has deployed anti-theft tracking technologies to protect cables during the nationwide upgrade.
Key facts
- BT's decommissioned copper cables are estimated to generate over £2 billion (approximately $2.7 billion) as the telecom upgrades to full-fiber broadband, an increase from earlier £1.5 billion ($2 billion) valuation estimates.[Engadget · Slashdot]
- Openreach aims to connect 30 million properties to full-fiber networks by the end of the decade.[Engadget · Slashdot]
- Openreach has collected more than 22,000 metric tons of copper since 2023, including nearly 10,000 metric tons during its latest financial year.[Engadget · Slashdot]
- Under an agreement with cable recycling specialist EMR, BT received an upfront payment of £99 million ($133 million) for recovered metals.[Engadget · Slashdot]
- Rising scrap prices have prompted cable thefts, leading Openreach to mark sections of its infrastructure with synthetic DNA and ultraviolet tracers.[Engadget]