Finland ended its copper‑wire landline network Tuesday, ending 150 years of analogue phone service. The last operator, Elisa, shut down its fixed‑line system after a call between CEO Topi Manner and Jarkko Saarimaki that recalled weekly London calls from the 1980s. The move closes a copper era for all customers.

Finland follows Estonia, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain in swapping copper for high‑speed fibre optic cable that supports both internet and voice. Nokia’s legacy still marks the country, but mobile penetration has eclipsed landlines. Elisa’s customers now number only a few thousand, with no new plans sold for years.

Copper wires carry a continuous electrical signal that mirrors sound waves, limiting bandwidth