[MisterTea]

Will they still run copper? Out here on Long Island Verizon will not install new copper and existing cu lines are on 3rd party life support. Work had to replace a copper phone line for the fire alarm with an internet bridge and wireless backup after it went dead and the tech told us "We don't run new copper."

[schwoll]

In a bunch of areas the companies rely on legal monopolies that were given to them by the local governments. The agreement was they get a monopoly if they agree to install phone lines for everyone who asks. If they don't run copper then the next thing they'll do is run whatever is their preferred equivalent. It's a quasi government+private monopoly agreement that benefits both and ensures residents get phone lines.