I don't know how accurate the nfo was, but an ATT installer told me they have stopped repairing/installing copper wire in the field and are only installing fiber because the cost is too high and they would rather spend the money on upgrades, rather than infrastructure that will be replaced, anyway. He also said they lose money on U-Verse, so the DirecTV/Dish installs/subscriptions are the main push/source of profit because the existing cabling infrastructure is old and basically crumbling.

IMO, their tech support, some installers and the lack of training is costing them more than they think and they're the main reasons I'm thinking of switching to another provider for internet but if the providers continue to merge, it's moot.

This is what happens when an industry is de-regulated.