Qwest's DSL: Go west, young man

Broadband communications company Qwest Communications International on Tuesday said it will expand substantially its high-speed digital subscriber line (DSL) coverage in 11 of the 14 Western U.S. states it currently provides with local phone service.

Qwest said the expansion would add about 1.3 million new DSL-capable homes and businesses in the states by the end of 2001 and another 1.2 million in 2002, which would bring the total number of DSL-capable subscribers to 6 million.

Denver, Colorado-based Qwest, which is broadening its DSL service in the West as is gets ready to re-enter the long distance business in the region, has set a goal of 500,000 DSL subscribers by the end of 2001. It reported more than 306,000 at the end of the first quarter.

The states slated for the expansion, which will be phased in throughout 2001 and 2002, are Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington. --Reuters