  The $SU(3)_L\otimes U(1)_X$ symmetry actually studied is directly broken to
the electroweak symmetry $SU(2)_L\otimes U(1)_Y$ by a Higgs triplet, predicting
a relevant new physics at TeV scale. This work argues, by contrast, that the
higher weak isospin $SU(3)_L$ might be broken at a high energy scale, much
beyond $1$ TeV, by a Higgs octet to an intermediate symmetry $SU(2)_L\otimes
U(1)_{T_8}$ at TeV, before the latter $U(1)_{T_8}$ recombined with $U(1)_X$
defines (i.e., broken to) $U(1)_Y$ by a Higgs singlet. The new physics coupled
to $SU(3)_L$ breaking phase is decoupled, whereas what remains is a novel
family-nonuniversal abelian model, $U(1)_{T_8}\otimes U(1)_X$, significantly
overhauling the standard model as well as yielding consistent results for
neutrino mass, dark matter, $W$-mass anomaly, and FCNC, differently from the
usual 3-3-1 model.
