Lafayette, a tiny hamlet in Lousiana is planning to joing the fiber future, thanks to the city’s utility. In a trend which is fast gathering momentum in rural America, most cities are trying to free themselves from the clutches of incumbents who pay little or no attention to these small towns. “I could run a high-volume Web business out of my home,” Ron Bertucci told a local newspaper and added. “That’s going to open a lot of online businesses in Lafayette.” Kevin O’Brien of Global Data Systems said he welcomes the competition LUS would present to existing telecommunications providers and added, “I think BellSouth has been charging too much for too long, and I’d like to see the city of Lafayette benefit from it.”