The other big can of worms is the application of MA commonwealth law to a business *in another state*. MA likes to write laws like this all the time. But the reality is that MA has no jurisdiction outside of its borders. Or shouldn't - though we'll see how stupid the courts are on this one if it comes to trial.

What's really required is a provider that just gives customers a link - a DWDM fiber connection (which can handle a theoretical 160 10Gbps signals). You now have the ability to provide up to 160 different services to each customer. Voice gets wavelength 1, CATV: wavelength 2, Intertubes: wavelength 3, etc. Now the service providers pay the link provider and the customers pay the individual service providers, rather than pay directly for the link and then the services. Problem is, providing a fiber connection to each household is prohibitively expensive now. But if I could get my grubby hands on a few (dozen) billion, I'd start laying some fiber to homes and businesses. The payoff is that I would then have a potential wealth of providers who would want access to my fiber to each home. This could also fuel a whole new set of providers for phone, internet, video conference, MMORPG-specific connections, phone, etc.

It's just a thought. It's been in my head for years. Somebody else has probably also thought of it and come to the same conclusion: Verizon will then temporarily unbundle connection and services to allow others access to the fiber - just long enough to put this new fiber connection company out of business; then they'll lock up their network again, tight as a drum. You can do that when you pay enough politicians.

nick