atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General Telecom News Telecom rollouts raise ire over utility boxes

Story here.

So the service providers will need to either put this equipment into underground vaults (very expensive) or put it inside buildings (even more expensive). They do this to satisfy the outcry, then people start complaining about the high costs of services.

Funny how a bank of ten full-size phone booths on nearly every corner in a major city was perfectly acceptable. Now, some inconspicuous hardware that occupies one-tenth of the space is a problem. I guess it's just a generational thing. Those complaining about cross connect cabinets have probably never even used a pay phone.

I'll bet that every one of them has some form of high speed Internet and HDTV at their homes though. I guess that they think that these services just get their by magic. OK, I need to stop now.

The people crying about the boxes must not have the service. I went through 5 days of installation troubles with AT&T U-verse but now that it's in and working..... They could put one of those boxes in the middle of my front yard for all I care.

On a more serious note, I think AT&T has learned a few lessons at least around here. Most of the new boxes are smaller than what the article mentions and the majority are in mostly "hidden" areas or near other "ugly" utility equipment. It took me a couple of days to find the U-verse cabinet that services my house, even after the installer told me roughly where it was.

They placed it in such a way that it is still completely accessible by technicians but is surrounded by landscaping so it is hardly visible. (the first installer searched for about an hour looking for it. lol)

Well on the bright side, with AT&T paying $1500.00 per utility cabinet the city can erect a nice redwood fence around each box and put in a little flowerbed too! Won't that be pretty?