Yes and no. Local ISPs in the U.S. are also laying/stringing their own fiber and providing cheap (cheaper than shown here) service. They are starting to move into 10/25 gigabit speeds too, as the costly part (running the fiber) doesn't do much to limit the speed, you just have to update the equipment at each end.

> paid for by the tax payer.

Actually the Zurich build out was only financed by the tax payer to be done by the electric company and Swisscom. Internet providers must each have equal options to lease the last mile from whoever built it out in a given city or town; it isn't free.

There are a number of county sized public utilities districts in Washington state which are doing essentially the same thing. These particular ones are also the last mile electrical grid operator connected to some of the big hydroelectric dams in the region.