BT's aging copper telephone network could generate over £2 billion ($2.7 billion) as scrap metal, according to The Guardian. Rising global demand for copper — driven by AI data centers, renewable energy, and electrification — has pushed prices up from a previous £1.5 billion valuation. BT subsidiary Openreach is replacing legacy copper with full-fiber broadband, targeting 30 million homes by 2030.

It recovered nearly 10,000 metric tons of copper in its latest financial year and over 22,000 metric tons since 2023. Openreach's head of sustainability, Abby Chicken, calls copper "one of the most strategic materials in the modern economy." BT has an agreement with recycling firm EMR and recently received £99 million upfront for recovered copper. However, soaring prices have also attracted thieves, knocking neighborhoods offline.

Openreach now marks cables with synthetic DNA and UV tracers to deter theft. The shift highlights how obsolete infrastructure is becoming a strategic resource in 2026.