USTelecom CEO to Trump: Copper Networks Looking for Parts on eBay

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2025 – USTelecom President and CEO Jonathan Spalter is urging President Trump and Congress to enact sweeping changes in broadband policy.

In an open letter to Trump and Capitol Hill, Spalter criticized regulatory constraints on pursuing high-speed broadband network infrastructure, citing rules that require telecommunications companies to maintain ancient copper phone lines.

“Copper phone lines require massive expense and effort to maintain. As manufacturers stop producing outdated equipment, some network operators must resort to scouring eBay for parts,” he wrote in the Jan. 22 letter.

Like other broadband industry leaders, Spalter called on the Trump Administration and Congress to revamp the $8.1 billion Universal Service Fund. He wants Big Tech to help pay for it.

“Reform must begin by requiring Big Tech companies that benefit massively from universal connectivity to join in contributing to this vital national commitment,” he said.

He also wants the Trump Administration to eliminate unnecessary red tape and regulatory weight from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. However, his recommendation to maintain the program’s fiber-first approach might not be well-received in an Elon Musk-oriented environment.

“The new NTIA should roll back rate regulation and other requirements that Congress never asked for, while retaining a significant role for fiber, the high-speed broadband gold standard,” he said.

Musk, Trump’s surprise pick to head the new consultative Department of Government Efficiency, owns Starlink, which provides 1.4 million Americans with high-speed internet via satellite.

Many Republicans and conservative think tanks have criticized BEAD’s fiber preference and want other, perhaps cheaper, options like Musk’s Starlink to improve program flexibility and reduce deployment delays.

Spalter closed the letter by identifying the federal permitting log jam as needing serious change: “Permitting requests can languish for months and even years. In Utah, one provider waited almost three years for permission to simply repair an existing fiber optic line on federal lands.”