http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/003184.htm

France Telecom to build American fiber network

NEW YORK (Reuters) - France Telecom said Tuesday
it will invest $200 million to build a 15,000-mile
fiber optics network connecting 28 major cities in
North America by the end of 2001.

The network will be connected to France Telecom's
pan-European backbone network, opened in October
1999, with international submarine cables.  ...

--------

Gee ... This wouldn't be used for commercial ...
er ... I mean ... national security espionage ...
er ... I mean ... surveillence, would it?

Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, know what I mean ?

Ern