said by ArgMeMatey :

That's a good point. I'll bet anyone in my municipality can get DSL at a decent rate, and cable is also available to everyone. Everything is so small-scale here there is no need for RTs (copper). The lots are small, around 45x130, and the right-of-ways are narrow (70') so maybe they should just forget about us and put their FTTN out in the newer 'burbs where there is plenty of room for this stuff.

I have seen about every cross box around here and they all are relatively small and sited much more discreetly than the u-verse node.

Regarding the number of nodes needed, there are 6700 housing units in my municipality. If they can serve 300 housing units out of one node, they need 25 nodes here to serve about 110 square blocks. So roughly one out of four blocks would have a node. I would guess that 25% of those could be sited unobtrusively, in front of commercial properties and so on. So that leaves about 18 lucky households. Never mind that these things are so huge I wouldn't want one on my block. If I were one of the "lucky" 18, I would want someone's head on a platter.

said by cwh :

From what i have seen here in San Antonio most of the new boxes are completely unobtrusive and you would not even notice if you were not looking for them. This city that is stopping progress is doing a great disservice to its residents.

said by ArgMeMatey :

I've never been to San Antonio so please enlighten me to help dispel my admittedly prejudicial "everything's bigger in Texas" stereotype. My off-the-cuff impression is that this whole FTTN setup was designed by a bunch of lawnmower-riding SBC Texans living in ranch houses on the open range, rather than midwestern & great lakes Miller drinkers living in pre-war bungalows.

1.How wide is the average lot in San Antonio?
2.How wide are rights-of-way?
3.Where are other utilities located: Backyard poles or pedestals & pad mounts along street right-of-ways?
4.Where are the nodes you have seen located in relation to houses?
5. Are there sidewalks?

Remember the city is the residents. If elected officials are not representing the interests of residents, residents are doing a disservice to themselves. Rest assured many people here prioritize like this:
1. Quality of life
2. Property value
3. More cable TV choices

Note that #3 is "more" not "better". Good luck arguing that #1 and #3 are not mutually exclusive.