It also offered internet services via Telstra's copper network and wireless equipment.

The network will gradually replace the copper network which is owned by Telstra and currently used for most telephony and data services.

As Verizon replaces more of its old copper network with more durable fiber lines, the company also expects to save billions of dollars in maintenance costs.

An accelerated depreciation schedule will let U S West replace more of its copper network with fiber-optic lines.

They point to companies in Japan and South Korea that are already selling high-speed Internet connections and video over copper networks.

In older neighborhoods, BellSouth is looking at a cheaper solution: fortifying its copper networks so they can handle video transmission.

(The exception to this is where the network is operated by an incumbent with ready access to the copper network.)

Telkom Indonesia is a dominant and largest provider of fixed line services due to owning most of Indonesia's copper network.

Due to Telstra owning the majority of Australia's copper network, this has allowed them to become the dominant provider of these services.

Experts have estimated that it will cost more than $200 billion to replace the copper network that currently carries telephone service to the nation's 90 million homes.