I've had an ISP willing to put 2km of copper wire to get my 15$ / month fee. (Not in the US.) I don't think the cost of wires is significant anywhere in the US either.
You may live in a country where the government subsidizes the laying of communications infrastructure. Laying fiber or even just coaxial cable is extremely expensive.
No, the whole reason we have great internet is that it took the government a long time to find out about it. The company had two 20-somethings spread the wire on existing poles :)
