Verizon has reportedly switched 1.1 million customers from copper to fiber lines over the past few years under a program it calls "Fiber Is the Only Fix." But some phone customers have refused the switch to fiber because they prefer to keep their copper lines—even though Verizon apparently is refusing to fix problems in the copper infrastructure.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that it obtained internal company documents that describe the effort to switch problematic copper lines to fiber. Verizon customers with copper-based landline phones who call for repairs twice in 18 months "will be told that their 'only fix' is to replace decades-old copper line with high-speed fiber as Verizon won't fix the copper," the report said.

While Verizon still has a few million copper-line customers, the Fiber Is the Only Fix policy is responsible for 1.1 million changes to fiber in Pennsylvania and other states. The policy is also in place in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Delaware, and it's expected to expand to New Jersey, the report said.

The Verizon documents obtained by the Inquirer apparently confirm what customers have been saying for years about Verizon technicians' reluctance to fix copper lines. "Once at the customer's home, the Verizon technician tells the customer that the only solution is to switch to fiber, which includes the installation of a FiOS box," the Inquirer reported. "If a flagged copper customer needing repairs ultimately declines fiber upgrade, the Verizon document commands: 'Do not fix trouble' with the copper line." (The newspaper quoted from the documents but did not publish them in full.)

Verizon is also trying to upgrade customers who live near people who report problems with copper lines, even if they don't have problems themselves, the Inquirer wrote.

A Verizon spokesperson told Ars that the copper-to-fiber program has been in place for four years. "It only applies to customers who have chronic, recurring service issues with their copper lines," Verizon told Ars. "If a customer has these recurring issues and they live in an area where fiber is available, the best solution is to move them to fiber, which is better technology, more reliable, and has fewer service issues."

Some prefer copper because it works during power outages

Verizon's copper-to-fiber transition has caused tension between the company and its customers for years. Many customers who want fiber in order to get higher-speed Internet service are angry that Verizon hasn't upgraded networks where they live. New York City government officials have accused Verizon of not meeting its obligation to wire up all the city's residents.

But there are also customers who don't want fiber because copper lines can often remain in service during long power outages. When we wrote about Verizon's attempts to push these customers onto fiber in August 2014, Karen Anne Kolling of North Kingstown, Rhode Island told us that Verizon employees showed up unannounced on her doorstep to switch her to fiber—a claim Verizon denied.

Nearly two years later, Kolling tells us that she is still trying to maintain her copper line. "When I made a repair appointment a week or two ago, Verizon sent out a fellow who said Verizon was not going to fix copper landline problems and that he was there to install FiOS. I politely told him to go away," Kolling told Ars a few days ago.

Although Kolling's copper line often loses its dial tone during rain storms, she said that it "generally stays available during power failures."

We asked Verizon if it is ever willing to fix copper lines when customers refuse the switch to fiber, but the company did not answer directly. "The tech who goes to the customer’s home fully discloses that moving over to fiber is the best solution, or 'fix,' to their recurring service issues," Verizon said.

The Federal Communications Commission has urged carriers to upgrade copper networks to fiber, while requiring them to provide consumers with three months notice and offer battery backups that can keep phone service running during power outages. For now, carriers only have to offer an eight-hour backup, but 24-hour backups will be required starting in 2018.

In addition to upgrading individuals through "Fiber Is the Only Fix," Verizon is also switching all customers in certain zip codes from copper to fiber, according to a previous Inquirer report. Some customers are suspicious that Verizon is merely trying to upsell them to pricier service, but Verizon says customers can buy traditional landline service on fiber connections and keep the same price.

In some areas where Verizon hasn't replaced copper with fiber, the company has been accused of letting copper networks fall into disrepair. Sixteen cities and towns in New Jersey asked state utility officials to investigate Verizon late last year, claiming that Verizon has failed to install fiber in non-affluent communities and has essentially abandoned the copper networks "through neglect."

A union representing Verizon workers called for investigations in multiple states into whether the company is allowing old networks to deteriorate. Utility officials in Pennsylvania decided to hold hearings on the matter. Verizon has denied allegations that it is neglecting its copper network.