The cost of installing fiber - now about $2,000 a home - was so high that investors sent Verizon's shares tumbling 26 percent last year.

But when landlords prohibit Verizon from installing fiber to each apartment, the company must use existing copper phone lines or cable lines to reach its customers.

Are you willing to allow anyone who wants to dig up the streets and install fiber?

One proposal called for the city to install dark fiber which would be made live by a contractor.

Services include excavation and construction related to installing and connecting fiber optic and copper cable.

Qwest could use the conduits, he said, to install fiber or sell space in them to other companies.

"Anywhere you want capacity and you don't want to install fiber, you can use our technology," said Mr. Slaughter, whose company went public in October 2004.

Verizon has been installing fiber in 16 states for several years and its network passes 4.5 million homes.

Glass is lighter than copper allowing for less need for specialized heavy-lifting equipment when installing long-distance optical fiber.

(Then again I don't install fiber for a living so I could be completely off the mark)