Yes, when everyone already had phone lines in their homes and you could get any number of phone lines you wanted to any location you wanted to terminate the mod

Yes, when everyone already had phone lines in their homes and you could get any number of phone lines you wanted to any location you wanted to terminate the modem calls. Nowadays you have to build out that "phone line" (a.k.a. "the last mile") to the customer which is sorta what this article talks about.