Telcos Join Cable's STRIKE Against Network Vandalism as Incidents Surge

The formal alliance between major telcos and cable operators under the STRIKE initiative signals a critical escalation in industry-wide efforts to protect communications infrastructure. This collaboration centralizes intelligence sharing, operational protocols, and policy efforts, aiming to curb ongoing network disruptions impacting millions of customers and costing billions. The development underscores the increasing threat perception from isolated vandalism to organized attacks. Watch for legislative progress on the federal "Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025" and the effectiveness of new mitigation technologies.

The transition away from vulnerable physical infrastructure gained significant regulatory momentum in early 2026. Per Broadband Breakfast, the FCC unanimously adopted the 'Network and Services Modernization Order' in March 2026, which drastically streamlined the process for carriers to decommission legacy copper networks. This order eliminated the requirement for Section 214 discontinuance applications and granted providers the authority to 'grandfather' legacy services without lengthy public comment periods. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated that these outdated mandates previously forced providers to divert billions of dollars into maintaining deteriorating infrastructure instead of high-speed fiber and wireless upgrades. This policy shift aligns with reports from NCTA and USTelecom, which highlighted that organized criminal syndicates are increasingly targeting private broadband facilities, which were historically less protected by federal law than government systems. To address this, the 'Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025' was introduced to extend federal criminal protections specifically to private broadband lines. According to Wireless Estimator (June 2026), 28 states have now classified communications infrastructure vandalism as a felony, though a geographic 'patchwork' remains that criminals continue to exploit. Additionally, scrap prices for copper reached approximately $6.00 per pound on the COMEX exchange in early 2026, per Distributor Wire, maintaining the high economic incentive for theft despite the industry's pivot toward fiber optics.