How this tracker
is built
Every row traces to a public source. This page documents where the data comes from, what it can and cannot tell you, and how often it updates — so you can decide how much to trust it, and cite it with confidence.
What this tracker covers
- Carrier-state snapshot: 45 program records across 5 carriers, as of 2026-07-10. The downloadable JSON and partner embed share this scope.
- Approved filing feed: 4 linked records, published 2026-08-27. Applications and FCC public notices are labeled separately; neither is automatically a grant.
- Wire-center map: a separate dataset with 3,518 wire centers across 46 states. Its public snapshot does not include an as-of timestamp. These are not 3,518 confirmed customer disconnections.
Freshness: the program review has a quarterly target; approved filings can be published between reviews. A last successful detector-scan timestamp is not published, so we cannot certify daily scan freshness here. Scope and date labels reviewed September 6, 2026; that review did not refresh the July program records or grant overlay.
A filing date, grant date, proposed service-discontinuance date, and confirmed impact at your address answer different questions. Check the linked source and ask the carrier about your specific lines. Read the methodology and limits.
Review my copper notice
Share the notice, affected locations and what each line serves. A human broker reviews the next steps; your carrier confirms the actual service deadline.
Holding an AT&T notice?
Decode the letter and check its wire-center exhibit. If the line serves a fire panel or elevator, start with the monitoring company and contractor. Then Review my copper notice for a human review.
Sources
Program records are compiled from FCC Section 214 discontinuance filings and grants, FCC network change disclosures under 47 CFR 51.325–51.335, carrier investor and regulatory statements, and FCC industry data releases. The FCC Section 214 grant column is an editorial overlay. Quarterly verification is the review target; the current program snapshot remains 2026-07-10. Headline figures cite their primary source inline on the tracker page.
What the data can and cannot tell you
Granularity is state-by-carrier. A row means the carrier has an active copper retirement program affecting that state — it does not mean every address in the state is affected. FCC grants typically cover portions of specific wire centers. Wire-center-level records with per-area authorized dates are the next planned data release.
Dates are shown only where a federal grant exists. Where the FCC column shows a date, a Section 214 application covering parts of that state has been granted and shut-off is authorized on or after that date. Where it shows program status only, the carrier is retiring copper on a market-by-market basis without a granted application we have verified.
The regulatory floor changed in March 2026. FCC 26-19 eliminated the federal filing and objection process for copper retirement, so future retirements may leave fewer public footprints. We supplement federal records with carrier self-published notices as they appear.
Urgency tiers used in our scoring
| Tier | Definition |
|---|---|
| CRITICAL | Filed retirement within 180 days (notice already issued) |
| HIGH | AT&T/Frontier/Lumen area with copper signals confirmed |
| MEDIUM | Known copper carrier area, no specific retirement signal |
| LOW | Possible copper dependency, no carrier signal confirmed |
| NONE | No copper dependency indicators |
These tiers drive CHNLSYNC's internal urgency scoring for buyer cases. They are published here so the tracker's framing is inspectable.
Update cadence and corrections
Program records have a quarterly review target. Separately approved filings may be added between program reviews. A detector run is not an editorial verification; this public feed does not expose the last successful scan timestamp. Published changes are recorded in the change log on the tracker page — nothing is silently rewritten. If you believe a row is wrong or stale, contact us via the details on the homepage; corrections are verified against the FCC record before publishing.
How to cite
"CHNLSYNC Copper Retirement Tracker, chnlsync.com/copper-retirement/ (accessed [date])." The dataset is licensed CC BY 4.0 — free to reuse with attribution and a link.
Questions about your state?
Tell us what runs on your lines. A human broker reviews every recommendation — with no buyer advisory fee. Supplier and third-party charges still apply.