Scrap Telecom & Data Wire Prices in Los Angeles
Current Telecom & Data Wire prices at scrap yards in Los Angeles, California. Compare local offers against the U.S. national average to get the most money for your scrap.
Average Telecom & Data Wire Price
The min/max range reflects a blended index (local + national data). Your local high may be lower.
- Low (up to $1.55): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($1.67): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($2.00+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 2 live board rates today.
Telecom & Data Wire price reference for Los Angeles, California
Scrap yards in Los Angeles, California don’t always update their prices in real time. To give you a reliable current value, we use the U.S. national average ($1.76/lb). The secondary metals market tracks exchange moves consistently across the country. Use this national figure as your benchmark when negotiating with local yards. Telecom & Data Wire prices across the U.S. →
Where to Sell Telecom & Data Wire in Los Angeles, CA
These are scrap yards in Los Angeles, California that recently updated Telecom & Data Wire prices in our database. Call them to lock in a quote. If your city isn't listed, use the National Index above as a bargaining reference with your nearest buyer.
Greener Recycling
TM Scrap Metals Inc.
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶How Telecom Wire Stacks Up Against Other Insulated Grades
The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.
Telecom & Data Wire Price Trends
This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.
Telecom & Data Wire: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (COMEX)
Telecom & Data Wire: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $5.764324 | $2.87 | -$2.90 (50.2%) |
| February 2026 | $5.880136 | $2.98 | -$2.90 (49.3%) |
| January 2026 | $5.894887 | $3.54 | -$2.36 (40%) |
| December 2025 | $5.497742 | $3.30 | -$2.20 (40%) |
| November 2025 | $5.064033 | $3.04 | -$2.03 (40%) |
| October 2025 | $5.050242 | $2.74 | -$2.31 (45.8%) |
| September 2025 | $4.662367 | $2.70 | -$1.96 (42%) |
| August 2025 | $4.477984 | $2.24 | -$2.24 (50.1%) |
| July 2025 | $5.482645 | $3.29 | -$2.19 (40%) |
| June 2025 | $4.883233 | $2.93 | -$1.95 (40%) |
| May 2025 | $4.686194 | $2.81 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| April 2025 | $4.654267 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2025 | $4.919484 | $2.95 | -$1.97 (40%) |
| February 2025 | $4.558107 | $2.74 | -$1.82 (40%) |
| January 2025 | $4.269774 | $2.25 | -$2.02 (47.3%) |
| December 2024 | $4.157855 | $2.50 | -$1.66 (40%) |
| November 2024 | $4.199383 | $2.52 | -$1.68 (40%) |
| October 2024 | $4.431839 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2024 | $4.292683 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| August 2024 | $4.121839 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| July 2024 | $4.375242 | $2.63 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| June 2024 | $4.491083 | $2.37 | -$2.12 (47.2%) |
| May 2024 | $4.75471 | $2.85 | -$1.90 (40%) |
| April 2024 | $4.363717 | $2.27 | -$2.10 (48.1%) |
| March 2024 | $3.983645 | $2.39 | -$1.59 (40%) |
| February 2024 | $3.801776 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| January 2024 | $3.811306 | $2.29 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| December 2023 | $3.871226 | $2.32 | -$1.55 (40%) |
| November 2023 | $3.720817 | $2.23 | -$1.49 (40%) |
| October 2023 | $3.609306 | $2.17 | -$1.44 (40%) |
| September 2023 | $3.759833 | $1.99 | -$1.77 (47.2%) |
| August 2023 | $3.776097 | $2.27 | -$1.51 (40%) |
| July 2023 | $3.8455 | $2.31 | -$1.54 (40%) |
| June 2023 | $3.804983 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| May 2023 | $3.751484 | $2.25 | -$1.50 (40%) |
| April 2023 | $4.007367 | $2.36 | -$1.65 (41.1%) |
| March 2023 | $4.02821 | $2.12 | -$1.90 (47.3%) |
| February 2023 | $4.06475 | $2.44 | -$1.63 (40%) |
| January 2023 | $4.115113 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| December 2022 | $3.820726 | $2.06 | -$1.76 (46%) |
| November 2022 | $3.674017 | $1.75 | -$1.92 (52.3%) |
| October 2022 | $3.430419 | $2.06 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| September 2022 | $3.455283 | $1.52 | -$1.93 (55.9%) |
| August 2022 | $3.616468 | $2.17 | -$1.45 (40%) |
| July 2022 | $3.4195 | $2.05 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| June 2022 | $4.118667 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| May 2022 | $4.257274 | $2.11 | -$2.15 (50.4%) |
| April 2022 | $4.649533 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2022 | $4.707694 | $2.83 | -$1.88 (40%) |
| February 2022 | $4.502304 | $2.70 | -$1.80 (40%) |
| January 2022 | $4.4345 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| December 2021 | $4.332226 | $2.29 | -$2.04 (47.1%) |
| November 2021 | $4.367567 | $2.62 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| October 2021 | $4.432371 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2021 | $4.2864 | $2.25 | -$2.04 (47.5%) |
| August 2021 | $4.302984 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| July 2021 | $4.347452 | $2.61 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| June 2021 | $4.388783 | $2.63 | -$1.76 (40%) |
| May 2021 | $4.618871 | $2.77 | -$1.85 (40%) |
| April 2021 | $4.192633 | $2.07 | -$2.12 (50.6%) |
| March 2021 | $4.084726 | $2.30 | -$1.78 (43.7%) |
| February 2021 | $3.861 | $2.15 | -$1.71 (44.4%) |
| January 2021 | $3.607435 | $1.89 | -$1.72 (47.7%) |
| December 2020 | $3.546903 | $2.13 | -$1.42 (40%) |
| November 2020 | $3.21755 | $1.93 | -$1.29 (40%) |
| October 2020 | $3.060177 | $1.59 | -$1.47 (48.1%) |
| September 2020 | $3.0352 | $1.82 | -$1.21 (40%) |
| August 2020 | $2.909726 | $1.53 | -$1.38 (47.6%) |
| July 2020 | $2.867581 | $1.72 | -$1.15 (40%) |
| June 2020 | $2.5983 | $1.56 | -$1.04 (40%) |
| May 2020 | $2.377403 | $1.43 | -$0.95 (40%) |
| April 2020 | $2.28595 | $1.37 | -$0.91 (40%) |
| March 2020 | $2.356968 | $1.41 | -$0.94 (40%) |
| February 2020 | $2.574707 | $1.54 | -$1.03 (40.1%) |
| January 2020 | $2.759935 | $1.66 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| December 2019 | $2.774145 | $1.49 | -$1.28 (46.2%) |
| November 2019 | $2.660717 | $1.54 | -$1.12 (42.3%) |
| October 2019 | $2.621613 | $1.57 | -$1.05 (40%) |
| September 2019 | $2.615533 | $1.57 | -$1.05 (40%) |
| August 2019 | $2.576597 | $1.55 | -$1.03 (40%) |
| July 2019 | $2.693468 | $1.62 | -$1.08 (40%) |
| June 2019 | $2.671833 | $1.60 | -$1.07 (40%) |
| May 2019 | $2.7395 | $1.64 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| April 2019 | $2.914283 | $1.62 | -$1.29 (44.3%) |
| March 2019 | $2.902032 | $1.62 | -$1.28 (44.2%) |
| February 2019 | $2.845929 | $1.71 | -$1.14 (40%) |
| January 2019 | $2.675468 | $1.61 | -$1.07 (40%) |
| December 2018 | $2.724823 | $1.64 | -$1.09 (40%) |
| November 2018 | $2.7578 | $1.65 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| October 2018 | $2.768435 | $1.66 | -$1.11 (40%) |
| September 2018 | $2.712817 | $1.63 | -$1.09 (40%) |
| August 2018 | $2.706081 | $1.62 | -$1.08 (40%) |
| July 2018 | $2.807597 | $1.69 | -$1.12 (40%) |
| June 2018 | $3.1238 | $1.87 | -$1.25 (40%) |
| May 2018 | $3.080177 | $1.85 | -$1.23 (40%) |
| April 2018 | $3.08635 | $1.85 | -$1.23 (40%) |
| March 2018 | $3.080758 | $1.85 | -$1.23 (40%) |
| February 2018 | $3.17875 | $1.91 | -$1.27 (40%) |
| January 2018 | $3.215161 | $1.93 | -$1.29 (40%) |
| December 2017 | $3.134855 | $1.88 | -$1.25 (40%) |
| November 2017 | $3.105817 | $1.86 | -$1.24 (40%) |
| October 2017 | $3.103887 | $1.86 | -$1.24 (40%) |
| September 2017 | $3.00865 | $1.80 | -$1.20 (40%) |
| August 2017 | $2.957097 | $1.77 | -$1.18 (40%) |
| July 2017 | $2.732484 | $1.64 | -$1.09 (40%) |
| June 2017 | $2.605467 | $1.56 | -$1.04 (40%) |
| May 2017 | $2.556677 | $1.53 | -$1.02 (40%) |
| April 2017 | $2.595367 | $1.56 | -$1.04 (40%) |
| March 2017 | $2.653452 | $1.59 | -$1.06 (40.1%) |
| February 2017 | $2.69925 | $1.62 | -$1.08 (40%) |
| January 2017 | $2.622903 | $1.57 | -$1.05 (40%) |
| December 2016 | $2.567774 | $1.54 | -$1.03 (40%) |
| November 2016 | $2.478267 | $1.30 | -$1.18 (47.6%) |
| October 2016 | $2.148903 | $1.29 | -$0.86 (40%) |
| September 2016 | $2.139533 | $1.28 | -$0.86 (40%) |
| August 2016 | $2.14129 | $1.29 | -$0.86 (40%) |
| July 2016 | $2.210419 | $1.33 | -$0.88 (40%) |
| June 2016 | $2.093733 | $1.26 | -$0.84 (40%) |
| May 2016 | $2.111387 | $1.27 | -$0.84 (40%) |
| April 2016 | $2.184815 | $1.29 | -$0.90 (41.1%) |
Telecom & Data Wire Scrap Price History — Daily Data
A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.
| Date | Avg price (per lb) | Change | Range (Low/High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17/2026 | $1.58 / lb | +$0.08 | $1.55 - $1.60 |
| 10/6/2025 | $1.50 / lb | +$0.15 | $1.50 - $1.50 |
| 8/29/2025 | $1.35 / lb | -$0.10 | $1.35 - $1.35 |
| 8/26/2025 | $1.45 / lb | +$0.05 | $1.45 - $1.45 |
| 1/17/2025 | $1.40 / lb | -$0.10 | $1.40 - $1.40 |
| 6/16/2024 | $1.50 / lb | +$0.20 | $1.50 - $1.50 |
| 4/20/2024 | $1.30 / lb | +$0.10 | $1.30 - $1.30 |
| 9/30/2023 | $1.20 / lb | +$0.05 | $1.20 - $1.20 |
| 4/1/2023 | $1.15 / lb | +$0.05 | $1.15 - $1.15 |
| 12/6/2022 | $1.10 / lb | +$0.35 | $1.10 - $1.10 |
| 11/27/2022 | $0.75 / lb | -$0.15 | $0.75 - $0.75 |
| 9/29/2022 | $0.90 / lb | -$0.10 | $0.90 - $0.90 |
| 9/22/2022 | $1.00 / lb | -$0.50 | $1.00 - $1.00 |
| 5/25/2022 | $1.50 / lb | +$0.15 | $1.50 - $1.50 |
| 5/21/2022 | $1.35 / lb | -$0.05 | $1.35 - $1.35 |
| 12/9/2021 | $1.40 / lb | +$0.02 | $1.40 - $1.40 |
| 9/19/2021 | $1.38 / lb | +$0.58 | $1.30 - $1.45 |
| 4/17/2021 | $0.80 / lb | -$0.50 | $0.80 - $0.80 |
| 3/4/2021 | $1.30 / lb | +$0.20 | $1.30 - $1.30 |
| 1/24/2021 | $1.10 / lb | +$0.20 | $1.10 - $1.10 |
| 10/23/2020 | $0.90 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.90 - $0.90 |
| 8/15/2020 | $0.85 / lb | +$0.15 | $0.85 - $0.85 |
| 12/6/2019 | $0.70 / lb | -$0.10 | $0.70 - $0.70 |
| 4/4/2019 | $0.80 / lb | +$0.10 | $0.80 - $0.80 |
| 11/10/2016 | $0.70 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.70 - $0.70 |
Pulling Profit from the Walls: Scrapping Telecom & Data Wire
If you are pulling miles of Cat5, Cat6, or old telephone lines out of an office demo, you are sitting on a solid payday. Telecom and Data Wire is prized for its consistent, tightly twisted copper core. Because the insulation-to-copper ratio is usually better than generic household wire, yards are currently paying anywhere from $1.60 to $2.00 per pound based on the exact shielding and jacket thickness.
Sorting at the Scale: Don't Get Robbed on Recovery Rates
Sorting is everything in the scrap game. Telecom wire usually has a high copper recovery rate—often around 50% to 60%. If you get lazy and throw your premium Cat6 into a bin of generic #2 Insulated Wire, you are practically handing the yard your hard-earned cash. That simple sorting mistake costs you roughly $0.08 per pound right at the scale. Always keep your data lines separate from standard wall outlets or appliance cords.
Yard Pro Tip: Watch out for shielded twisted pair (STP) data cables and coax lines mixed in with your standard Cat5/Cat6 network wire. That aluminum foil shielding or steel core in coax will tank your recovery rate at the yard. Check the ends for a shiny foil layer or heavy plastic dividers, and keep the pure copper Ethernet separated from the shielded stuff to demand the highest telecom rate.
Knowing Your Wire Grades
For context, it is crucial to understand where data wire fits in the grand scheme of copper recovery. Thick, single-strand #1 Insulated Wire commands $2.40 to $3.90/lb due to its massive copper yield. Your standard #2 Insulated Wire sits around $1.60 to $2.06/lb, while junk cables like #3 Insulated Wire (Low Grade) barely pull $0.60 to $1.20/lb. Telecom wire hits that sweet spot of high volume and decent copper yield, especially when doing commercial IT demo in in Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth stripping telecom and data wire?
Generally, no. The individual copper strands inside Cat5 or Cat6 are hair-thin (typically 23 or 24 AWG). Running this through a standard wire stripper is a nightmare, practically impossible, and a massive waste of time. You are better off selling it as-is for the current $1.76 average rate.
How do yards determine the price for data wire?
It all comes down to the copper recovery percentage. Buyers look at the COMEX copper spot price and calculate how much clean copper they can extract after chopping and separating the plastic jackets. They typically pay about 70.3% below the spot price to cover their processing and shipping costs.
Does leaving the RJ45 connectors on lower the price?
Yes, depending on the yard's strictness. Those plastic and brass plugs add dead weight and lower the overall copper percentage of the bin. If you have hundreds of pounds of wire, taking a pair of loppers and snipping the ends off can bump you from the $1.60 floor closer to premium pricing.
Telecom & Data Wire scrap prices in Los Angeles, California on the map
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