The Internet & Television Association reported 18,327 theft and vandalism incidents disrupting internet service to nearly 12 million Americans in 2024. That breaks down to roughly 50 attacks daily, marking a 59% increase from the previous year. These crimes target copper cables for their scrap metal value, with fiber optic lines also suffering deliberate cuts. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have now joined the STRIKE initiative to coordinate protection efforts across carrier networks.

STRIKE, short for Strategic Threat Response & Infrastructure Knowledge Exchange, helps service providers share intelligence and develop better security strategies. Industry leaders argue these acts deserve terrorism classification since they jeopardize critical infrastructure like hospitals and emergency services. The copper-based network already suffers from aging infrastructure and insufficient maintenance, making it particularly vulnerable to criminal targeting.

Carriers are accelerating fiber cable replacements specifically because fiber lacks resale value and delivers significantly faster internet speeds. This transition addresses both security concerns and performance demands, though legacy copper installations remain widespread across many regions. The surge in attacks pushes providers to prioritize upgrades in high-risk areas.

The coordinated response signals that infrastructure security has become a top operational priority for major carriers, as service disruptions from cable theft threaten both customer satisfaction and public safety. This marks a shift toward treating network protection as a shared industry responsibility rather than individual carrier problems.