It’s not been a full month since the Big 3 announced another collaboration – AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon were spooked into uniting by SpaceX.
Now, the Magenta carrier, Ma Bell and Big Red are uniting to fight crime.
Enough with the vandalism!
AT&T has suffered a lot last year. | Image by PhoneArena
But when it comes to copper theft, fiber cut or other types of physical network vandalism, the Big 3 unite in no time.
If you think everything’s getting better and people in the US are committing fewer crimes (like some eagerly claim), think again. AT&T alone suffered more than 7,000 vandalism acts on its network in 2025. There’s a heavy price tag attached to all of this, with Ma Bell paying more than $60 million to repair the damages.
So, there’s a new front, a “network theft and vandalism initiative”, reports Light Reading.
Here’s STRIKE
The newly formed initiative, known as STRIKE (Strategic Threat Response & Infrastructure Knowledge Exchange), is designed to tackle the growing wave of attacks against telecom infrastructure.Led by industry organizations and supported by major operators, the group aims to improve intelligence sharing, coordinate responses and push for stronger policies to protect critical networks.The scale of the problem appears to be growing rapidly. According to a recent industry report, more than 18,000 incidents affecting communications infrastructure were recorded across the US in 2025, impacting nearly 12 million customers.
That represents a year-over-year increase of almost 60%, though industry representatives believe the real figure could be even higher.
It’s not just about bigger financial costs
Experts warn that the consequences extend far beyond repair costs. Service disruptions can affect emergency responders, hospitals, banks, government agencies and other essential services.
Telecom executives described the attacks as increasingly organized and sophisticated, targeting both copper and fiber networks as well as wireless infrastructure.
T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T all reported sharp increases in incidents, with some areas becoming persistent hotspots for theft and vandalism. In response, carriers are deploying new monitoring technologies, hiring additional security personnel and working more closely with law enforcement.
The issue is also attracting political attention. Several states have strengthened legal protections for communications infrastructure, while federal lawmakers are considering legislation that would impose tougher penalties on those responsible for damaging broadband networks.
