Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE: CVC)'s Optimum Lightpath division announced that its fiber network is now plugged into 2,000 commercial buildings in the New York metropolitan area. The MSO is doing its best to kick Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) in the knickers in the Big Apple business market.

A pioneer in Metro Ethernet services, Optimum Lightpath has added its second thousand network connections since 2001. The company's fiber network now covers more than 2,500 route miles in New York City and suburban areas of Long Island, Westchester County, northern New Jersey, and southern Connecticut.

In its third quarter earnings report, Cablevision reported that Optimum Lightpath generated $52 million in revenue for the three-month period ending September 30, with $13.9 million in operating cash flow. However, continued spending on network expansion resulted in a $6.1 million operating loss for the quarter. Optimum Lightpath capital expenditures topped $27 million for the first 9 months of 2006.

— Michael Harris, Chief Analyst, Cable Digital News