Several years ago when or Verizon phone line failed (amazing, but it
> does happen), the tech ran a cable from the nearby riser across our
> lawn through the backyard into our house, must have been a hundred
> feet or more, while they waited to retrench the new cable. Now that
> there's fiber in the neighborhood, I guess they'll retrench a new
> fiber cable if we order FIOS.
Chances are Verizon would have used twisted pair, which is the same stuff they put in underground everywhere. It's also the same stuff that goes miles underground.