  newviewEx .. Ex .. ExactlyPremium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD
kudos:1 | Comcast Attitude quote:
Now Comcast is baring the brunt of residents of historic Georgetown who are upset about new utility boxes residents say are ugly and were installed without Comcast following the proper procedures:
We can do whatever the hell we want ... we're Comcast, remember? | |
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 | | | Re: Comcast Attitude said by newview:We can do whatever the hell we want ... we're Comcast, remember?
Funny, the president of our homeowner's association said that exact same thing to my wife after doubling our HOA fee. He's a retiree from the local cable company.
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Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty - Ronald Reagan | |
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 KommiePremium
join:2003-05-13
united state
kudos:2 | Why did comcast install these boxes? Why did Comcast install these boxes? What function do they serve? Signal Amplifying ? | |
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| Reviews:
 ·T-Mobile US
·Sprint Mobile Br..
| Re: Why did comcast install these boxes? said by Kommie:Why did Comcast install these boxes? What function do they serve? Signal Amplifying ?
These are the beginning of the node for that area... Amp, Power Supplies, Fiber converter, etc. They used to only have them in areas off the path but now the nodes are much smaller so they have to go somewhere I suppose. | |
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| | | | Re: Why did comcast install these boxes? Another person throwing around terms they don't know. A "node" is a "fiber converter" which serve a service area. Understand the difference between a node and service area please.said by bobjohnson:said by Kommie:Why did Comcast install these boxes? What function do they serve? Signal Amplifying ?
These are the beginning of the node for that area... Amp, Power Supplies, Fiber converter, etc. They used to only have them in areas off the path but now the nodes are much smaller so they have to go somewhere I suppose. | |
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| JoelC707Premium
join:2002-07-09
West Point, GA
kudos:5
1 edit | While I'm not sure the pictured box is actually a Comcast box, they are generally used for power supplies. The node, amp, splice containers, whatever else, will be up on the strand. Hell, even the power supplies can be in a small enough cabinet to be mounted up on the pole. Though of course I know some areas will be different, especially with underground plant.
These power supplies also usually contain batteries to provide DC backup power in the event of local power outage. There can also be a separate cabinet that houses a generator to provide run time longer than the batteries can provide. Some of the larger cabinets (usually only seen in more rural areas) will have the generator built in with the main cabinet.
(This part below isn't really to you Kommie  , more to the story/thread in general).
I know most of these stories want you to think that AT&T and Comcast just come and plant these boxes wherever they way. I can't speak for AT&T but I can tell you that was NOT the case for Comcast. They put a power supply in our front yard and actually negotiated a contract with us to buy/rent the property it sat in.
And even if they do plant a box without your permission, chances are it's in the Right-of-way and isn't actually your property to get bent out of shape about anyway. So to the ones complaining about property value or things like that, well you were either paid to have it there or it isn't actually on your property anyway, so stop complaining (especially stop the damn complaining if you were PAID). | |
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| | BoooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo All providers should get together and refuse service to these cry babies. IF they don't like cabinets then they need to be willing to do without.
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I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company. | |
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|  vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA | Re: BoooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo Good luck with that, they actually like getting subscriber money. Providers will adapt; they'll either bury them, make them smaller, or put them on the poles. It's not like it's impossible to get internet without these behemoths being awkwardly placed around neighborhoods, it's just going to cost Comcast and other a bit more to make them more discreet. | |
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| |  Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Detroit, MI
·Verizon Wireless..
 ·Comcast
| Re: BoooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo said by vpoko:Good luck with that, they actually like getting subscriber money. Providers will adapt; they'll either bury them, make them smaller, or put them on the poles. It's not like it's impossible to get internet without these behemoths being awkwardly placed around neighborhoods, it's just going to cost Comcast and other a bit more to make them more discreet.
I'm kinda thinking Comcast knew what was going to happen and just did it anyways. Are they going to get them to move them or put them underground? I highly doubt that. Comcast probably knew ahead of time it was going to be a lot cheaper to get fined as opposed to paying fees to submit paper work and fight over easements in meeting after meeting with the city.
Sometimes it's just a whole lot cheaper to get fined rather than going about it the correct way.
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"I like to refer to myself as an Adult Film Efficienato." - Stuart Bondek | |
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| | | vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA | Re: BoooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo Fined is one thing, but impacted groups could sue for equitable relief, AKA a court order requiring changes to make the boxes compliant with regulations. While Comcast might risk a fine, they're not going to risk being held in contempt. | |
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| | | Perhaps they should be allowed to setup cabinets that are 100 ft. high. No? How about 50 ft.? No? How about no higher than the dwelling house on which the property the easement is granted?
These service providers typically have contractual obligations with the various communities they provide service to to ensure that they are the exclusive provider of such services (whether cable or telco). In accordance with these agreements, they are able to provide services to the properties within their respective serviceable areas with easements on each property.
These easements don't give them the right to do whatever they want. More communities and property owners need to nip these abuses in the bud before the next evolution of communication technology advances require skyscraper sized cabinets. | |
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|  SnowymIRC unix.ro UnderNetPremium
join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI
kudos:6
·RoadRunner Cable
·Clearwire Wireless
| said by battleop:All providers should get together and refuse service to these cry babies. IF they don't like cabinets then they need to be willing to do without.
Yeah, as long as the box isn't in your front yard why should you care? | |
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| | | | Re: BoooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo The problems is there are people who's yard it is not in front of that complain about this stuff. Kind of like cell towers. There are people who bitch about them who can't see them from anywhere on their property. They don't anything to displease their eyes but they also want top notch service.
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I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company. | |
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| | | SnowymIRC unix.ro UnderNetPremium
join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI
kudos:6 | Re: BoooooooooooooooHooooooooooooooooo I thought the problem is there are people who's yard it is not in front of that complain about people complaining about them.  | |
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| | | vpokoPremium
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA | Some people don't want to set a precedent, because their yard could be next. Some people like to complain about stuff that doesn't affect them at all. Case in point: you. | |
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 n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY | Underground What happened to underground vaults? In some places they were installing them but I gather the added cost made it cheaper to fight city hall than to cooperate. Luckily neither Verizon or Cablevision use them in my area.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. | |
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| | | Re: Underground Underground vaults? That's more expensive and takes longer to deploy. What we have here is just another great example of how much more effective and efficient private industry is than government. Imagine how much more money and time it would have taken a government bureaucracy to do this? They don't have shareholders to keep their crazy ideas about neighborhood aesthetics in check and instead make sure things go cheaply and smoothly to provide the revenue generating services customers want.
Vote Romney! | |
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|  gar187erI do this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Dover, DE
kudos:4 | you cant fit a node, or a BTD in a vault, they are just too big....
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I'm better than you! | |
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 kpfx
join:2005-10-28
San Antonio, TX | Doesn't look like a cable box Are we sure the box pictured really is a Comcast box? It looks more like a signal light cabinet or older telephone cabinet than a typical node enclosure or power supply / battery enclosure. | |
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|  whfsdudePremium
join:2003-04-05
Washington, DC
·T-Mobile US
| Re: Doesn't look like a cable box said by kpfx:Are we sure the box pictured really is a Comcast box? It looks more like a signal light cabinet or older telephone cabinet than a typical node enclosure or power supply / battery enclosure.
Yes. They're used in DC and I suspect many other cities.
Here is the inside of one at 14th and U NW.
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| | kpfx
join:2005-10-28
San Antonio, TX | Re: Doesn't look like a cable box Yep. I've seen that kind of enclosure before (sometimes as a splicing enclosure, other times for an amp or node). Although they're nowhere near the refrigerator sized VRADS of U-Verse deployments.
The picture in the article makes that particular box look nearly 5ft tall. Although I could be wrong... with that tiny little "fence" to the right and the low angle of the shot. | |
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| | | whfsdudePremium
join:2003-04-05
Washington, DC Reviews:
·T-Mobile US
| Re: Doesn't look like a cable box said by kpfx:The picture in the article makes that particular box look nearly 5ft tall. Although I could be wrong... with that tiny little "fence" to the right and the low angle of the shot.
Those tiny fences go around tree boxes. See »petworth.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com···7959.jpg | |
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| | | | rody_44Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA | Re: Doesn't look like a cable box Your picture is not the same box as in the picture. yours is just a big ped where the one in the picture is a power supply box. | |
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| |  Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA
kudos:4 | gawd, what a mess. It looks like my toolbox after it fell off the truck
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... need help? »evdo-tips.com/ | |
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| | well Do these people want internet or not? Maybe we should remove them for a couple of months see how they like having no internet. | |
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| | | Re: well AGREED! but 1st that picture looks fake, no shadowing, anyway, the cabinet is siting on a vault, looks to be a p/s cab. 2cd. people complain when there's no service in the area then they complain when the service is built, for any tel-co. just another Blaa, Blaa, Blaa | |
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| | | | Re: well That looks like a eletrical box for stop lights and street lights. | |
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| | | whfsdudePremium
join:2003-04-05
Washington, DC Reviews:
·T-Mobile US
| Re: well said by brianiscool:That looks like a eletrical box for stop lights and street lights.
Traffic light control boxes are grey and fatter. They're only placed on sidewalks where they don't impede the sidewalk.
Google street view 33rd and M street NW if you want an example. | |
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2 edits | Re: well They should hire this guy then. | |
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| | | | | | | Re: well That won't attract attention. | |
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|  LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | said by brianiscool:Do these people want internet or not? Maybe we should remove them for a couple of months see how they like having no internet.
Rich people, mostly lawyers, lobbying the pols in Washington. They all think nothing should impinge on their perfect world.
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Impeach Obama and tie up government for next 2 yrs | |
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| | | | Re: well Right on! Power to the corporations!
Vote Romney! | |
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| | | | | Re: well Romney was a worthy foe for Obama.
LOL | |
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 IowaCowboyWant to go back to IowaPremium
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA
·Comcast
·Verizon Broadban..
| Here in Springfield Here in Springfield, MA the nodes are mounted on the poles. They rebuilt the system back in 2002-03 and the nodes are suspended on the lines themselves. Most of the underground lines here originate overhead. The power supplies are mounted a few poles down from the node. | |
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| | caveat Comcast only gets a pass if they are using the cabinets to deploy FTTP.. otherwise.. WTH(F)? | |
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| openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | Re: caveat How about Comcast gets a "pass" if its deploying services that people ask for? | |
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 tshirtPremium,MVM
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA
kudos:3 | Disguise it as a... 1795 outhouse, complete with odor generator, and it will meet the historic district requirements. | |
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| | Would not happen with all fiber. If Comcast ran just fiber instead of their archaic cable kludge, internal household power and very small electronic devices would take care of everything. But a cable company is fixated on the antique technology they've had since 1950, and doesn't want to change. All of it, DOCSIS and all the rest is totally past tense.
Don't believe it? Just look at any FIOS installation anywhere. | |
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See 12 replies to this post |
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Reviews:
 ·Frontier Communi..
| Evanston, Illinois (a suburb next to Chicago, and home to Northwestern University, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the ice cream sundae) was one of the more famous complaining cities.
"The residents of Evanston, Illinois were so upset they created a website to rail against AT&T's use of VRADs called stopthebox.org/ " From back in 2007 to 2009.
website is still active, as of today.
Springfield, Illinois had the VRAD complaints also, and worked out some landscaping work w/AT&T at their City Council meeting. | |
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BiggA
join:2005-11-23
EARTH | Kinda bad Some of the stuff about construction workers running backhoes is silly, but those boxes are pretty ugly... Comcast should have consulted the local authorities first and done them in a more appropriate way. | |
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 CableToolPoorly Representing MYSELF.Premium
join:2004-11-12 | Wrong fight Comcast obtained permits from the city. Im not sure if an entity following proper procedure for construction permits is at fault.
If the permit had to be put to some arts committee that isnt for Comcast to do.. or even know about.
"Any change to public space in historic Georgetown must first, by law, be reviewed and approved by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Old Georgetown Board. Permits for the work were never submitted to either entity......A Comcast spokesperson said that the company obtained city permits and didn’t know the installation required further review. "
This is a joke. If this is such a big deal that municipality truly needs to clean up their internal processes and procedures to ensure an oversight like this doesnt occur again.
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CableTechs.org/"Horrible People with Integrity" | |
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| | | Re: Wrong fight said by CableTool:Comcast obtained permits from the city. Im not sure if an entity following proper procedure for construction permits is at fault.
If the permit had to be put to some arts committee that isnt for Comcast to do.. or even know about.
"Any change to public space in historic Georgetown must first, by law, be reviewed and approved by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Old Georgetown Board. Permits for the work were never submitted to either entity......A Comcast spokesperson said that the company obtained city permits and didn’t know the installation required further review. "
This is a joke. If this is such a big deal that municipality truly needs to clean up their internal processes and procedures to ensure an oversight like this doesnt occur again.
So you are saying Comcast is pleading ignorance?
Rules are rules and anyone who does business in Georgetown knows how that area runs. | |
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| | | | Re: Wrong fight said by moonpuppy:So you are saying Comcast is pleading ignorance?
Rules are rules and anyone who does business in Georgetown knows how that area runs.
Laws are for people, not corporations. Duh! | |
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| | | | | Re: Wrong fight said by nothing00:said by moonpuppy:So you are saying Comcast is pleading ignorance?
Rules are rules and anyone who does business in Georgetown knows how that area runs.
Laws are for people, not corporations. Duh! Not when you screw with the government drones who work for bigger drones who actually run government. | |
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| | gar187erI do this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Dover, DE
kudos:4 | so the people in the main city planning/permit office dont know about the extra run around, how should comcast?
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I'm better than you! | |
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| | | | | Re: Wrong fight said by gar187er:so the people in the main city planning/permit office dont know about the extra run around, how should comcast?
Comcast had to know about it. If they have been doing business in Georgetown for the amount of time they have been, they should have known.
Not surprising that they would "forget."
It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. | |
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 telcodad
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2
1 edit | Comcast Caves Looks like Comcast is now backing down:
Comcast Working with Neighbors After Complaints
Comcast's 'small-refrigerator-sized' utility boxes are a point of contention among Georgetown residents
By Shaun Courtney, The Georgetown Patch - November 9, 2012
»georgetown.patch.com/articles/co···mplaints
and:
Comcast pulls utility boxes from Georgetown sidewalks
By Steve Donohue, FierceCable - November 12, 2012
»www.fiercecable.com/story/comcas···12-11-12 | |
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