Ask HN: What's it take to start a telecom?

So, rather than sit around and complain about how [service_provider] isn't providing the kind of access and lines we want, I was wondering what it would take to start our own service and roll out [FIOS] directly to houses and apartments in the area.

Anyone here have experience in the industry or is capable of shedding some light on the matter? As far as I know, if you've got sufficient funding or chutzpah it's possible.