Which describes the copper cabling that connects many homes and businesses to the nearest CO?

Local loops refer to the physical and direct copper cabling that connects end-users, such as homes and businesses, to the nearest Central Office (CO) in a telecommunications network. This connection is crucial as it is the last mile of connectivity that links individual customers to the broader telecommunication infrastructure.

Local loops are specifically designed to carry voice and data traffic over short distances, typically from a service provider's central office to the customer’s premises. These loops often utilize twisted pair copper wires, which are effective for both telephone and Internet service.

In contrast, trunk lines primarily handle long-distance data transmission between different central offices, not directly connecting homes and businesses. Feeder cables, meanwhile, are used to carry data from a central office to various distribution points but do not reach the individual premises. Backhaul connections refer to the links that transport data from remote sites back to the core of the network, which again does not involve direct connectivity to end-users.

Thus, local loops are the appropriate description for the copper cabling that serves as the connection between end-users and their respective central offices.