Recent incidents highlight the growing impact of attacks on the networks Americans rely on every day.
Attacks on communications infrastructure continued to climb in 2025, reaching record levels and affecting communities across the country.
Communications providers recorded 18,327 attacks on critical communications infrastructure in 2025—a 59% increase over the previous year. These incidents affected more than 11.8 million customers, disrupting essential communications services that support homes, businesses and public safety.
Recent Attacks from Coast to Coast
Communications outages caused by infrastructure theft and vandalism imposed an estimated $294 million to $1.47 billion in societal costs in 2025 alone, far exceeding the value of the materials being stolen. Recent incidents from across the country illustrate how these attacks continue to disrupt communities.
- Williamson County, Texas: Residents lost internet service after fiber optic cables were intentionally cut, causing more than $100,000 in damage and disrupting connectivity for homes and businesses.
- Oakland, California: Repeated copper thefts knocked out internet service for residents in the Oakland Hills and disabled traffic signals, creating both connectivity and public safety concerns.
- Sonoma County, California: Authorities investigated a series of copper thefts after thieves repeatedly cut telephone lines, disrupting phone and Wi-Fi service for residents and businesses across the region.
- Cazenovia, New York: Thieves cut down phone and internet lines five separate times in an effort to steal copper for scrap, causing repeated service outages and requiring extensive repairs.
- Colorado: Officials warned that copper thefts are increasingly threatening 911 systems and other emergency communications, prompting renewed attention from lawmakers and public safety leaders.
- King County, Washington: Officials warned that copper wire thefts have repeatedly disrupted 911 services, underscoring how attacks on communications infrastructure can directly affect emergency response.
- Plymouth Township, Pennsylvania: Thieves stole nearly 15,000 pounds of copper wire valued at approximately $400,000 from a utility contractor’s yard before selling the material for scrap.
- East Brunswick, New Jersey: Thieves stole approximately $100,000 worth of copper wire from utility poles, causing significant damage to communications infrastructure.
States and Industry are Responding
Providers continue investing in physical security, closer coordination with law enforcement, infrastructure redesign and public awareness efforts to deter attacks.
Policymakers are responding as well. In 2026, more than 23 states introduced legislation and 13 enacted new laws strengthening protections for communications infrastructure and tightening scrap metal regulations. At the federal level, H.R. 2784 would establish new criminal penalties for the intentional destruction of privately owned communications infrastructure.
As attacks continue to rise, collaboration among providers, law enforcement and policymakers will remain essential to protecting the communications networks Americans rely on every day.
Learn more by exploring NCTA’s latest report and additional resources at ProtectCCI.org.
