Telcos got subsidies in the form of tax breaks to improve infrastructure. They spent their own money though. They talked about wiring America with fiber when trying to get the subsidies through congress, so that's why people claim they didn't live up to their "bargain."
Today this has been twisted into a false narrative: "the teclos got paid 200 billion to build fiber and never did".
A reduction in debt is a form of income though. If I owe someone $200 dollars. But then I only have to give them $100 I now have gains of $100 vs 0 if I had to pay the full amount.
To be fair, often politicians will refer to tax breaks as a cost, as in lost revenues, to the Treasury as if something was paid out. It's common enough that it's understandable about the confusion of what the narrative actually means.
Today this has been twisted into a false narrative: "the teclos got paid 200 billion to build fiber and never did".