[jauntywundrkind]

We had it in the US but the Courts overruled Congress & demanded the FCC carve out an exception of the required Unbundled Local Element/Local Loop Unbundling requirements of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. By 2001 it was clear we weren't getting unbundled network elements after all. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-03-36A1.pdf

It was & is one of the most stunning activist court decisions to have hit the US ever. Big companies sued, saying fiber was expensive & that they should have sole control over next gen telecommunications technology & the courts ignored the legislative act & handed incumbent powers total control. Revilesome; one of the biggest constraints in US infrastructure in general.

The FCC has been busy 5hese past couple years unwinding remaining requirements for dark fiber & other remaining protections. I somewhat care but the obliteration of last mile protections that enabled competitive carriers to exist at all makes the overall market so unavailable & locked up that it's less relevant.