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Comments on news posted 2008-04-07 13:06:29: When Verizon comes to install FiOS, we try to run their installers over with our cars for digging up our azaleas. When AT&T comes to install VDSL and IPTV, we're annoyed by the fact that they need to place a massive box in front of our homes. ..

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PhoenixDown
FIOS is Awesome
Premium Member
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY

PhoenixDown

Premium Member

I want 100/100

but I'd be pretty upset too if a company dumped 2 refrigerator sized boxes in the middle of my front yard...
forrestin
Premium Member
join:2004-02-07
Clinton, IN

forrestin

Premium Member

Re: I want 100/100

I'll take ten of those boxes if it means that I can get away from dialup. I'm tired of people complaining about how things look. If only AT&T cared enough to go into the rural areas of the country and install service.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

1 recommendation

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: I want 100/100

said by forrestin:

I'll take ten of those boxes if it means that I can get away from dialup. I'm tired of people complaining about how things look. If only AT&T cared enough to go into the rural areas of the country and install service.
There are ways to deploy broadband solutions without ruining property values and how a neighborhood looks. Broadband is nice, but when the property value drops a couple thousand dollars, it ain't frigging worth it!! All so a company can make a shitload of money off YOUR loss.

-Tzale

NickD
Premium Member
join:2000-11-17
Princeton Junction, NJ

1 recommendation

NickD

Premium Member

Re: I want 100/100

100/100 would cost much more per year than the reduction in your property value if the box weren't there. If I were searching for a home, and someone told me the box in front of the house was for FiOS, I would be more inclined to buy that house because it has FiOS available.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: I want 100/100

said by NickD:

100/100 would cost much more per year than the reduction in your property value if the box weren't there. If I were searching for a home, and someone told me the box in front of the house was for FiOS, I would be more inclined to buy that house because it has FiOS available.
Well lets break down your argument...

First, no "normal" person is going to purchase 100/100 internet... More than likely, they'd have to pay tens of thousands of dollars for that type of connection... So that point is null and void. Second, if you're purchasing a home with a box already in front, you're not LOSING money, since you're not SELLING the home. You're SAVING money. Hell, you can USE it as a method to knock down the price a little if you want... If I had to choose between two comparable homes, and one had FIOS... I'd probably go with the home with FIOS if no other viable option was at the other location or FIOS wasn't going to be available shortly... I love FIOS, but it only makes good business sense to TRY to be considerate and not have the "big corporation" mentality when doing business in peoples neighborhoods.

-Tzale
forrestin
Premium Member
join:2004-02-07
Clinton, IN

forrestin to Tzale

Premium Member

to Tzale
I find it hard to believe that property values are dropping thousands of dollars because of the boxes. If you don't want the boxes in your yard then don't move where the utilities have Right of Way access.

Sounds like a case of the rich want to B**h. They should be glad that they have services. If I were AT&T I would yank DSL and other new services and give them dialup.

insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN

insomniac84

Member

Re: I want 100/100

I would think that in any neighborhood the utilities should be hiding the equipment in the backyards. You shouldn't be dropping large equipment in people's front yards. In my neighborhood everything is in the back of people's yards. No one complains. The telcos are stupid in this case. Even if they didn't have easement access in the back, there is no point in not asking a homeowner to give them an easement to prevent having a huge box in their front yard. Most would easily agree to the deal.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale to forrestin

Premium Member

to forrestin
said by forrestin:

I find it hard to believe that property values are dropping thousands of dollars because of the boxes. If you don't want the boxes in your yard then don't move where the utilities have Right of Way access.

Sounds like a case of the rich want to B**h. They should be glad that they have services. If I were AT&T I would yank DSL and other new services and give them dialup.
Who knows... It is relative... But from the article, it appears they put up a big ugly retaining wall... That is DEFINITELY going to lower property prices.. This is one of the reasons why it is often against local ordinances to have an unkept frontyard or rundown home... It makes the surrounding properties lower in value.

-Tzale

Ben
Premium Member
join:2007-06-17
Fort Worth, TX

Ben to Tzale

Premium Member

to Tzale
Huh? It's completely worth it.

I would be far, far less inclined to buy a property if the best I could get (without modifications) was either satellite or dial-up Internet.

I remember how slow dial-up is. Sometimes I still know, because of my back-up dial-up connection.

Go back to dial-up or even ISDN as my primary connection? No way! I don't want to wait days just to download the latest service pack. That and I sure do love running servers.

So let's see, the choices are:

A) Use dial-up. To download the latest Fedora Core 8 DVD image (which is 3.18GB) would take close to a week, if you run the dial-up 24/7.

OR

B) Live with a large box nearby, but download the same DVD image in less than 18 minutes (assuming 25Mbps download).

Wow...what a tough decision.
EPS4
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

EPS4

Member

Re: I want 100/100

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the boxes are just for U-Verse... so the situation is more like A) Dial-up B) Existing DSL for up to 6Mbps/768kbps (I think this is the fastest at&t DSL speed, not sure) or maybe Cable or C) Big Box in yard for up to 10Mbps/1Mbps, which is kind of a different situation...
skrupowies
join:2002-08-22
Bristol, CT

skrupowies

Member

Re: I want 100/100

said by EPS4:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the boxes are just for U-Verse...

You're wrong. The VRAD's provide both U-verse and high speed internet. If you were a DSL customer prior to U-verse (either from the CO directly or from some electronics) your line gets shifted to the VRAD for internet. In general your actual service improves some because the overhead is less (practically nonexistent) for VRAD based internet as compared to ADSL with PPPOE.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale to Ben

Premium Member

to Ben
said by Ben:

Huh? It's completely worth it.

I would be far, far less inclined to buy a property if the best I could get (without modifications) was either satellite or dial-up Internet.

I remember how slow dial-up is. Sometimes I still know, because of my back-up dial-up connection.

Go back to dial-up or even ISDN as my primary connection? No way! I don't want to wait days just to download the latest service pack. That and I sure do love running servers.

So let's see, the choices are:

A) Use dial-up. To download the latest Fedora Core 8 DVD image (which is 3.18GB) would take close to a week, if you run the dial-up 24/7.

OR

B) Live with a large box nearby, but download the same DVD image in less than 18 minutes (assuming 25Mbps download).

Wow...what a tough decision.
And you're reducing it to an extreme case.... Most places NOW have access to multiple forms of broadband... And MOST people don't think having an EYESORE in their front yard is worth it when it would make MORE business sense to have it placed somewhere more discreet... Legally, they have every right to place it there, and broadband DOES increase property values for people who WANT broadband, but a big box REALLY does hurt property values when it is sitting, rusted and not maintained 10 years later when you're trying to sell your home..

-Tzale

marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO

marigolds to Ben

MVM

to Ben
said by Ben:

So let's see, the choices are:

A) Use dial-up. To download the latest Fedora Core 8 DVD image (which is 3.18GB) would take close to a week, if you run the dial-up 24/7.

OR

B) Live with a large box nearby, but download the same DVD image in less than 18 minutes (assuming 25Mbps download).
The boxes provide TV service, not broadband internet.

a333
A hot cup of integrals please
join:2007-06-12
Rego Park, NY

a333

Member

Re: I want 100/100

read the article again. It states that AT&T's boxes provide TV and internet service.
mglunt
join:2001-09-10
Fredericksburg, VA

mglunt to PhoenixDown

Member

to PhoenixDown
said by PhoenixDown:

but I'd be pretty upset too if a company dumped 2 refrigerator sized boxes in the middle of my front yard...
I would be too. If there is a way to hide the box, but the company wants to save the money that would cost, I'd be pissed. I take pride in how my property looks.. I don't need a 5-6 foot tall metal cabinet out front. Thankfully, FIOS runs everything underground (at least where I am). The only thing I see in my back yard is a 3'x2' (or so) lid on a buried box. ...and the lid is green so it blends in with the grass.
Riplin
join:2002-05-13
canada

Riplin

Member

who cares what they look like

TBH if they offered me 100mbit to my house for a reasonable rate I could care less what they look like.

danclan
join:2005-11-01
Midlothian, VA

danclan

Member

Re: who cares what they look like

no but the next guy moving in your house might not...and thus might not buy your house because of it...yes folks....people DO care about the number of utility boxes on a property.

At least with verizon most are buried or flat and with lay of the land and not giant sized boxes vertical out of the ground.

yock
TFTC
Premium Member
join:2000-11-21
Miamisburg, OH

yock to Riplin

Premium Member

to Riplin
said by Riplin:

TBH if they offered me 100mbit to my house for a reasonable rate I could care less what they look like.
I take it you aren't a homeowner.
Riplin
join:2002-05-13
canada

Riplin

Member

Re: who cares what they look like

Yes I am an owner and I would take one of those boxes but like I said it would have to benefit me.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: who cares what they look like

said by Riplin:

Yes I am an owner and I would take one of those boxes but like I said it would have to benefit me.
People on this site are generally geeks... But I'm also a geek that likes companies to FOLLOW the law and not place THEIR equipment illegally on my property and also for them to take all steps necessary not to LOWER my property value!!!

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

1 recommendation

jester121

Premium Member

Re: who cares what they look like

So geek on over to a real estate law site and read up on utility easements. These companies aren't breaking the law; homeowners are generally idiots and don't realize what is and is not allowed according to zoning, easement, and other local regulations.

The homeowners in question should have armed themselves with knowledge of what easements existed on their property when they purchased it.

marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO

marigolds

MVM

Re: who cares what they look like

said by jester121:

So geek on over to a real estate law site and read up on utility easements. These companies aren't breaking the law; homeowners are generally idiots and don't realize what is and is not allowed according to zoning, easement, and other local regulations.
RTA.
They placed the box outside the easement.

fiber_man
Things Happen For A Reason
Premium Member
join:2001-01-27
Port Saint Lucie, FL

fiber_man to Tzale

Premium Member

to Tzale
I hope for your sake your property has no utility easements on it. Most around here have at least one on it if not more. I found out that my property has a 20 foot easement off the back property line for maintenance of a drainage ditch. The city has a 25' ROW on the front which is where the poles are placed. I have no say what so ever about the ROW. If you want services from power,gas,water,telephone, and cable then they have to have permission from you or the developer for easements on your property. I have seen so many people buy houses in a new development without driving to see the lot and/or look at the site plans. Then they bitch and moan about a power transformer and/or a telephone or cable box that is placed in the yard. When the developers force all the utilities in a 10' easement there is not much the utilities can do.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: who cares what they look like

said by fiber_man:

I hope for your sake your property has no utility easements on it. Most around here have at least one on it if not more. I found out that my property has a 20 foot easement off the back property line for maintenance of a drainage ditch. The city has a 25' ROW on the front which is where the poles are placed. I have no say what so ever about the ROW. If you want services from power,gas,water,telephone, and cable then they have to have permission from you or the developer for easements on your property. I have seen so many people buy houses in a new development without driving to see the lot and/or look at the site plans. Then they bitch and moan about a power transformer and/or a telephone or cable box that is placed in the yard. When the developers force all the utilities in a 10' easement there is not much the utilities can do.
I'm not arguing that they don't have a right to place that box there... But they should be more considerate if they want to do business in people's neighborhoods and expect them to fork over their hard earned cash.

-Tzale

fiber_man
Things Happen For A Reason
Premium Member
join:2001-01-27
Port Saint Lucie, FL

fiber_man

Premium Member

Re: who cares what they look like

Again it is not always up to the homeowner. The utilities have to deal with the cities,counties, and sometime even the state on where these cabinets,transformers are placed. Down here people wanted the power companies to place all of the overhead lines in the ground [because of hurricanes] not realizing that transformers had to go somewhere. Guess what?
All of the utilities have to come down if they want the poles out. That means a lot of digging and placement of cabinets,pedestals,ect.. Several cities are also paying for part of the cost to bring down the lines. I agree it looks nicer that all of the overhead lines but people have to accept the fact that this things are placed to provide services to them.
The engineers around here are using the 50' easements along the drainage ditches to place most of the cabinets but I know of several that are in people's back or side yard. They have moved several X-boxes out of some front yards to the cabinets in easements. People have to deal with a mess for a little while but it looks better in the end.

Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium Member
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro

Tzale

Premium Member

Re: who cares what they look like

said by fiber_man:

Again it is not always up to the homeowner. The utilities have to deal with the cities,counties, and sometime even the state on where these cabinets,transformers are placed. Down here people wanted the power companies to place all of the overhead lines in the ground [because of hurricanes] not realizing that transformers had to go somewhere. Guess what?
All of the utilities have to come down if they want the poles out. That means a lot of digging and placement of cabinets,pedestals,ect.. Several cities are also paying for part of the cost to bring down the lines. I agree it looks nicer that all of the overhead lines but people have to accept the fact that this things are placed to provide services to them.
The engineers around here are using the 50' easements along the drainage ditches to place most of the cabinets but I know of several that are in people's back or side yard. They have moved several X-boxes out of some front yards to the cabinets in easements. People have to deal with a mess for a little while but it looks better in the end.
Yea, well I'm not arguing about their legal right of way and the fact that from an engineering perspective, the boxes NEED to be somewhere... I am just saying that people shouldn't always be so quick to defend companies... Oftentimes, when installing service to millions of people, they just place those boxes wherever the plant engineers tell them to place them, with no consideration to aesthetics.. If they spent a LITTLE time on aesthetics, both parties would probably be much happier... People DO have a RIGHT IMHO to expect to have a nice looking neighborhood. It isn't a LEGAL right, but it is something to be expected. Property taxes in my town are around $7-15,000/year, thank God the town tries to keep this place from looking like your typical dirty Jersey town..

-Tzale

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to yock

Premium Member

to yock
said by yock:
said by Riplin:

TBH if they offered me 100mbit to my house for a reasonable rate I could care less what they look like.
I take it you aren't a homeowner.
I'm a homeowner and wouldn't mind having fios equipment in my front yard. no HOA here

burgermeister
All Computers Are Junk
join:2000-10-23
Utica, MI

1 recommendation

burgermeister to Riplin

Member

to Riplin
Most homeowners care more about how their house looks than how fast their broadband is. I for one would choose to keep my current 6 meg speed if 100 meg for the same price had a company putting some nasty looking boxes in my yard.

marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO

marigolds to Riplin

MVM

to Riplin
said by Riplin:

TBH if they offered me 100mbit to my house for a reasonable rate I could care less what they look like.
What if they were offering you 400 channels of television instead? That's what those boxes provide, not internet.

a333
A hot cup of integrals please
join:2007-06-12
Rego Park, NY

a333

Member

Re: who cares what they look like

ehh, no way jose. The boxes are known as VRADS, and its common knowledge on this site that AT&T's VRADS provide VDSL service which is split among TV and teh interwebs.

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

WAAAAAA

WAAAAA

People whine too much......

I would let them put that on the front of my lawn if they wanted to. Especially if it gave me an alternative to ComCrap.

Then again, I have a buried petroleum pipeline that sits in a trench less that 40 feet where I've laid my head for the past 31 years, so maybe I'm a little conditioned to the whole thing
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: WAAAAAA

the thing though is; even if that box is sitting in front of your house. it doesnt mean you'll be serviced. Remember AT&T is redlining their service areas.

yock
TFTC
Premium Member
join:2000-11-21
Miamisburg, OH

2 recommendations

yock

Premium Member

I'd like to propose a solution

To those of you who say you don't mind a metal box the size of a small trailer in your front yard, I say volunteer. Take the burden from those of us who refuse such eyesores and volunteer your property for right-of-way. That way the people who are concerned with their property value are unaffected and we all get our high-speed broadband.

•••••••
Bobcat79
Premium Member
join:2001-02-04

1 recommendation

Bobcat79

Premium Member

Utility easement

What part of "utility easement" don't these folks understand? They should have looked at the deed before they bought the property.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

WiseOldBear
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Litchfield Park, AZ
Motorola MB8600
Synology RT2600ac

WiseOldBear

Premium Member

When An Easement is An Eyesore

Utility easements were conceived in the days of underground pipes and cables and overhead wires not refrigerator sized boxes. Bought and paid for local politicians have simply allowed AT&T to use the easements for their own benefit and supposedly that of the local residents. The latter part of the preceeding statement is open to on-going debate.
bigddybn
join:2000-10-18
Stuart, FL

bigddybn

Member

Come to my house.

They can drop one here if they like providing I get free service as long as the box is there....

Too bad I live in a condo

cbrigante2
Wait til Next Year
Premium Member
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL

cbrigante2

Premium Member

Re: Come to my house.

said by bigddybn:

They can drop one here if they like providing I get free service as long as the box is there....

Too bad I live in a condo
I've said it before, they'll put one wherever they need to and give you the same price they give everyone else. How does that deal sound now?
nevtxjustin
join:2006-04-18
Dallas, TX

nevtxjustin

Member

One word...

SHURBERY

•••

GlenQuagmire
Giggidy Giggidy Giggidy Goo
Premium Member
join:2004-02-16
Grand Rapids, MI

GlenQuagmire

Premium Member

Broken Sewer

I am fine with Comcast and ATT installing new fiber as long as it does not cause shit to backup into my basement.
Test99
Premium Member
join:2003-04-24
San Jose, CA

Test99

Premium Member

Humor

We consumers are a fussy bunch when it comes to broadband, wanting the fastest possible speeds with out hurling shrapnel, exploding garages, smoke inhalation or ruined landscaping if possible.
Karl, I like your humor!

GemSnake
Premium Member
join:2000-10-19
3rd layer

GemSnake

Premium Member

Somebody, punch her!

What a selfish bitch! 400 people will benefit from it and she's raising hell. Burn her at the steak!!!

•••••••••••••

michaelp95
Premium Member
join:2001-08-23
Tucson, AZ

michaelp95

Premium Member

ugly box = free service

I'd take the ugly boxes, provided they gave me and any future owners of the property free service for life, very small price for them to pay for potential 300-400 customers who will pay.
gaforces (banned)
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA

gaforces (banned)

Member

Re: ugly box = free service

They wont do that because it would create a precedent for others to want that as well. It's not like they have made enough money to cover the upgrades ... wait ... uhhh.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

1 recommendation

Mr Matt

Member

Do your homework

In years past most utilities were installed in the back yard between lots on telephone poles. This was particularly popular where homes were built back to back. That allowed one cable run to serve twice as many proprieties as placing utilities in the front of homes. Eventually the Federal Government required that all utilities be buried. That resulted in a problem when the property owner dug up their back yard for any reason and cut cables. In recent years many developers have chosen to place all utilities at the front of the property. The advantage is that the service personnel do not have to go into the back yard of the home to connect or disconnect service. These problems can be resolved if one does their homework.
1) Check with the building department that serves your area to determine what size an object, installed in the utility easement must be, to be considered a structure. Structures fall under different regulations than cable terminals boxes and telephone poles. In some jurisdictions the location of equipment larger than a specified size must be review and approved before it can be installed.
2) Check the survey of your property to see if the equipment is installed within the utility easement. If it is installed extending beyond the easement the property owner can force the service provider to remove it or move it. This is particularly important when the footprint of the cabinet is larger than the utility easement.
3) If this is new route for a new service, find out if the utility easement is still in force on your property. In some cases a former property owner has obtain a release of easement from all utilities currently providing service in the area. If the release is recorded on the deed the utility easement is no longer in force and can no longer be used by utilities without permission or compensation of the homeowner. In the mid 80's a Cable Television Company attempting to compete against the incumbent CATV Company, had to abandon their efforts when they found that the routing of many of their cables passed through properties where the easements had already been abandoned. The company found that there was no way to determine if easements had been abandoned without reviewing the deed of every property along the route. The fiasco resulted in many lawsuits against the competitive cable company for damage to homeowners properties by contractors installing the new cable system.
4) Contact your local governmental representatives and ask them to pass regulations regarding the size of equipment installed in utility easements. A representative from a homeowners association can more easily obtain cooperation from the local government since the represent a large voting block. Remind the officials that if property values go down so does the property tax than can be levied on the property.
Austinloop
join:2001-08-19
Austin, TX

Austinloop

Member

Re: Do your homework

Most of what you said is valid, except the federal government did not require that all utilities be buried. I can see at least one location from my house that has aerial power, catv, and telephone. However, all utilities are buried on the rear easement of my property.

Also, it depends on how the easement is written and negotiated, I have seen 12 x 24 buildings placed on a easement.

SparkChaser
Premium Member
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

SparkChaser to Mr Matt

Premium Member

to Mr Matt
There are a couple of problems if you read the article. At least some of the work is being done in the "right of way".

"Any time work is being done in the right-of-way there are going to be unintended consequences," said Andrew Johnson, spokesman for Comcast.

I can't say for FL but in PA your property ends at the right-of-way. It is not an easement. It's not your property.

As for your local officials, it also states:

"The state Legislature removed cities' powers to negotiate TV service franchises in 2006 when it passed the Digital Infrastructure and Cable Competition Act. That power was given to the state to streamline the deployment of new video technology. In the process, cities lost some leverage in dealing directly with cable TV and telephone companies.

"The utility companies have fairly broad rights to put what they want there," said Eric McHenry, the city's chief technology officer."
ncbill
Premium Member
join:2007-01-23
Winston Salem, NC

ncbill

Premium Member

Not the preferred implementation

Another reason why FTTH is better.

No honkin' big boxes and ugly concrete retaining wall in some poor soul's front yard.

Big boxes on your *house*, sure, but only IF you choose the service.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

1 recommendation

dave

Premium Member

False dichotomy

Most respondents here have allowed the network providers to frame the argument - it's either high-speed broadband or no eyesores.

Why can't there be both?

Oh, someone might have lower profits. Nevermind.
gaforces (banned)
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA

gaforces (banned)

Member

Re: False dichotomy

They could bury the boxes and still provide adequate cooling, it would just cost more. Or they could leave them above ground and have artists design the boxes or alter existing boxes to be more attractive.
There would be a big difference between an ugly square box and a piece of art. Oh ya, that costs more money ...
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: False dichotomy

Burying is easy. Its called a CEV. Only problem is $$$$$$. Uverse is 99 cent store next gen broadband.

Yay Boxes
@rr.com

Yay Boxes

Anon

Boxes are fine...

I'm purchasing a home now and the thought of these easements being used by such non-flattering hardware makes me not too happy. Since my home is in the desert, I think maybe I'll plant some cacti around any eyesores to make maintenance as painful as my having to look at the thing every day.
Scott_
join:2002-04-01
New Baltimore, MI

Scott_

Member

Re: Boxes are fine...

... and I will be sure to do everything in my power to ruin said cacti if i ever have to work on said "eyesores".
People like you are morons

Tjinn
@12.144.152.x

Tjinn

Anon

picture

It's hard to tell from the picture for sure but it looks like the person is standing next to a standard phone crossbox. I have seen posts before with people cussing out the big gray boxes and they don't seem to realize if they did get them out their neighborhood would lose their landline.

I can't say they are all like this throughout the country but all the VRAD's I have seen are beige in color and have an orange sticker on them. They are usually located in the vicinity of a crossbox and are about a 3' by 4' box.

If all the stuff is true about digging up the yard and a retaining wall and stuff and it looks ugly I would be unhappy though and would probably call the telco in a reasonably tone of voice and try to get restitution. Usually if you escalate it high enough without cussing people out they try and help you. Telco's may be big but they still don't like negative publicity.
cooperaaaron
join:2004-04-10
Joliet, IL

cooperaaaron

Member

They should simply.....

Plant some trees around these boxes. If they dig up the yard in front of your home, in keeping within the limits of the utility easements, they should make it look better, how much more will it cost for a few trees? they already dug the hole..

•••••

cal
@wcom.net

cal

Anon

big boxes

By law, in California the AT&T vrads are allowed in the public rights of way. Some cities don't have any documentation of the public rights of way but still permit the boxes wherever AT&T wants them by telling property owners that it is the city rights of way. The cities benefit from this procedure by getting property without condemnation and consent from the owner. AT&T benefits by getting an easement by adverse possession unknown to the property owner.
mattbrown
join:2008-04-05
Fork, MD

mattbrown

Member

I would take it.

As long as its in the back of the house with the 2 AC units and Generator I would take it i mean its not that bad.
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