Already El Paso owns the second-largest fiber network in Houston, with connections to every central office switch operated by regional phone giant SBC Communications.

FORBES: Switch Hitter

Telephone companies have used fiber for two decades, but the network boxes that reroute and switch the signals have always been based on silicon chips and copper circuitry.

FORBES: Hooked on Photonics

Inside its network, Telseon owns or leases fiber that runs to a powerful switch at each corporate account.

FORBES: Weaving The Perfect Net

Consumers can switch between cable, fiber optic broadband or ADSL without having to reconfigure their home network or replace their router.

ENGADGET: Netgear D6300 mates 802.11ac WiFi with ADSL, risks one heck of a mismatch