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Comment by nonameface | Hacker News Reader

From the Article: "Verizon predecessor New Jersey Bell committed to a statewide broadband buildout in a 1993 agreement with state authorities in exchange for a price regulation overhaul that the telco requested."

I assume part of the takeover/merger that happened also merged the previous responsibilities.

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One thing to consider is it is unlikely that a 1993 agreement included a provision for a fiber to residential home requirement.

It's probably a requirement for building fiber to commercial or government locations if a customer is willing to pay. Stuff that Telecom's do, it's just very expensive.

People knew what fiber was in 1993 and that it would be important.

Sprint made it an integral part of their long distance adverting in the mid-80s: http://www.retroist.com/2014/11/18/sprints-pin-drop-commerci...

They also counter advertised against MCI, founded as Microwave Communications, Inc., on the basis of their using fiber and MCI still using a lot of microwave. From http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sprint-corp... E.g.:

"In a spirited demonstration of the obsolescence of the microwave networks operated by AT&T and MCI, US Sprint blew up one of the last of its own microwave towers in February 1988."

I remember seeing a print add at the time with a picture of the controlled demolition in progress.

Sure. Fiber was already in widespread use. But the local telecom that became Verizon wouldn't be dumb enough to promise fiber-to-the-house in 1993.

I'm willing to bet 50 bucks, the so called expert is misinterpreting the contract or statements by Verizon.

I would agree; however, Verizon has reneged on this agreement a few times. There are several "donut" towns in New Jersey where Verizon was explicitly mandated to serve FTTH but never bothered to (and seem to have been all but forgotten by local lawmakers).

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