Big phone companies are racing to abandon old copper networks. The FCC says, ‘not so fast.’

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said he would introduce measures to make sure the nation's copper infrastructure is phased out responsibly -- part of a series of principles aimed at keeping incumbent phone companies from trampling over smaller, competitive carriers in the dash toward greener fiber pastures.

One question the FCC will ask is whether incumbent carriers should sell their copper to the competitive carriers rather than simply leaving the technology by the wayside. The agency will also explore what maintenance requirements, if any, should be imposed on copper cabling that does not get retired. These and other moves, according to Chairman Wheeler, will limit the opportunity for incumbents to gain too much of an advantage over smaller companies. Chairman Wheeler repeated his now familiar slogan: "competition, competition, competition." Industry officials have said the slogan has been met with few specifics from Chairman Wheeler -- but the new efforts may be a sign of change.