Regulation victories lead SBC and others toward expansion By Bruce Meyerson, Associated PressNEW YORK -- For at least a decade, phone companies have been promising to rewire America with fiber-optic cables. Now, with a romp of regulatory victories in hand, the regional Bells say they're free to make good on that ambitious plan to bring lightning-fast Web and TV services to all the nation's homes.
In recent days, the nation's three biggest local phone companies announced plans to expand their fiber deployments, an endeavor that may take years to pay off for Verizon Communications Inc., SBC Communications Inc. and Bell South Corp.
Some analysts wonder whether the companies can even afford the tens of billions of dollars it will cost to replace the copper in their networks. Further, the Bells will need to secure good enough terms on TV programming and lure enough customers from cable and satellite operators to justify the investment.
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