Interesting notes by the former CTO of BT:

"So why didn't Telcos roll fiber into the local loop? Well, the story is a bit like the Gulf War (they stopped right on the border, and made the fundamental error of not completely vanquishing the enemy) and now we suffer soda straw communication pipes as a result. Across the planet dumb decisions were made out of political necessity, individual and corporate self interest, technical ignorance and financial ineptitude."