Getting the incumbents on-board certainly isn't a requirement. The post I was replying to favored a future where all providers converged on one infrastructure. I was saying that wasn't likely to happen.
From: "Christopher Morrow" <morrowc.lists@gmail.com>
To: "Mike Hammett" <nanog@ics-il.net>
Cc: "Harry McGregor" <hmcgregor@biggeeks.org>, "nanog list" <nanog@nanog.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 3:46:16 PM
Subject: Re: Muni broadband sucks (was: New minimum speed for US broadband connections)
The government entities that I've known of building middle or last-mile fiber infrastructure have reported that none of the incumbent operators wanted anything to do with it. Not during planning, construction, post-construction, etc.
If your whole model is monopoly services (att/verizon/cabletown) why would you bother entering a service area where you might have competition? (and an operational model which is radically different from your other properties)
I don't think it's necessary for the 'incumbent telco' (or cabletown) to need/want to participate with the municipal dark-fiber-equivalent deployments, is it?
All that's needed is a couple (one to start) local 'isp' that can service what is effectively a light-duty L1 and ethernet plant, and customer service(s).