Verizon Communications Inc. may have missed one of the most widely discussed milestones in the world of access communications last year: its goal of passing 1 million homes with its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network by the end of 2004 (see Verizon Flaunts Fiber Plan).

The analysts at UBS Investment Research, in a note issued late last week, say they think the nation's largest phone company fell short of its mark. "While we believe the company fell short of meeting its previously stated goal of passing 1 million homes by the end of 2004, it appears to be aggressively moving towards its goal for 2005," the analysts wrote. Story Continues...