Telecoms oftentimes make deals with the government - in exchange for some sort of advantage, they agree to provide a certain level of service. Linked from the

Telecoms oftentimes make deals with the government - in exchange for some sort of advantage, they agree to provide a certain level of service. Linked from the article: Verizon predecessor New Jersey Bell agreed to the statewide broadband buildout in a 1993 agreement with the state. In exchange for a different form of price regulation that would allow the company to make more money, "Verizon agreed to upgrade its network to provide broadband to every Verizon New Jersey business and residential customer, school, and library for 100 percent of its service territory," according to the state's Division of Rate Counsel. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/04/verizon-led-massive-astroturf-campaign-to-end-nj-broadband-obligation/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/04/verizon-led-massi...