Landscaping, Courtesy of AT&T? - Company starts doling out cash to beautify U-Verse VRAD cabinets
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Landscaping, Courtesy of AT&T?
Company starts doling out cash to beautify U-Verse VRAD cabinets
10:05AM Monday Aug 18 2008 by Karl Bode
tags: dsl · business · hardware · networking · AT&T U-Verse
Tipped by Randy
AT&T's somewhat ugly U-Verse VRAD cabinets, required to offer U-Verse VDSL service, have been a point of contention for local homeowners, who claim the curb side cabinets erode property values. In Illinois, Comcast has even used the cabinets in anti-U-Verse advertisements. In a new twist, it appears that AT&T is starting to dole out $1,500 per box in Illinois to be used for landscaping, in an effort to make the boxes less, well, boxy. One local Illinois official tells me that AT&T is actually now offering three options to municipalities complaining about the cabinets: the first has AT&T doing the landscaping; the second involves AT&T paying $2000 per site if it's mutually agreed that landscaping is necessary (the City does the work); the third has AT&T paying $1500 per site regardless if landscaping is necessary. Most Illinois cities are apparently picking the third option, says the source.
Related:- Comcast: U-Verse Interfering With Our Network
- Comcast Ads Mock Unsightly AT&T U-Verse Cabinets
- Pics of CT's Pole-Mounted U-Verse VRADs
- AT&T Introduces New Home Manager System
- U-Verse, Whole Home DVR Expand
- Verizon Ramps Up Tech Support Offerings
- Battle Over U-Verse VRADs Continues
- User Impressions Of AT&T's New 18Mbps U-Verse Tier
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fatmanskinny @ 18th Aug 10:13AM:
Wow, what beautiful landscaping!
I bet they made center page in Better Homes and Garbage.
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Airwolf7 @ 18th Aug 10:13AM:
Sounds reasonable to me.
Sounds reasonable to me.
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pnh102 @ 18th Aug 10:18AM:
Unsurprising
quote:
... third has AT&T paying $1500 per site regardless if landscaping is necessary. Most Illinois cities are apparently picking the third option, says the source.
Of course the government always picks the option that gets it the most "free" money, courtesy of AT&T's subscribers. I guess those ugly looking boxes are not that ugly after all.
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Matt @ 18th Aug 10:22AM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by pnh102 : quote:
... third has AT&T paying $1500 per site regardless if landscaping is necessary. Most Illinois cities are apparently picking the third option, says the source.
Of course the government always picks the option that gets it the most "free" money, courtesy of AT&T's subscribers. I guess those ugly looking boxes are not that ugly after all.
That is pretty shady. I bet their excuse is "We'll only use the money for landscaping!" ... yeah right.
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Airwolf7 @ 18th Aug 10:24AM:
They need a lay down version of that box.
That box is just to tall.
They need to use the tall box where they are space constrained and use a much shorter and longer box where they are not.
People complain because they have a six foot tall box in their yard. It's kind of hard not to notice a six foot tall box in the yard.
If they used a shorter and longer box where they could, it would be easier to plant shrubs around it making it less obtrusive.
Might be less complaints if it were easier to hide, but there would always be someone to complain about something.
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Nightfall @ 18th Aug 10:25AM:
To BBR Users...
This VRAD box doesn't look bad at all. It looks like heaven. ;)
To the basic consumer, they are an eyesore.
--
My domain - Nightfall.net
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BabyBear @ 18th Aug 10:27AM:
AT&T: Your landscape delivered!
Does that include any graffiti cleanup too? Our VRAD hasn't been hit yet, but our "POTS Box" gets tagged at least every few months.
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TK Junk Mail @ 18th Aug 10:31AM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by pnh102 : quote:
... third has AT&T paying $1500 per site regardless if landscaping is necessary. Most Illinois cities are apparently picking the third option, says the source.
Of course the government always picks the option that gets it the most "free" money, courtesy of AT&T's subscribers. I guess those ugly looking boxes are not that ugly after all.
I'll bet the city takes the money and does no landscaping at all for their residents.
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en102 @ 18th Aug 10:31AM:
Re: Unsurprising
Goes straight into the 'general fund', and will (most likely) never be used for its intended purpose.
--
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hayabusa3303 @ 18th Aug 10:32AM:
.
Very nice drawing there Karl.
That is about right, put one flower down and say its landscaped.
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aciddrink @ 18th Aug 10:36AM:
Put one of these in my yard!
I'm sure people used to complain about those large green cable boxes that were put in everybody's yards 20-30 years ago, but by god the service they provided was amazing eh? Similar to what we have here. Even though these large boxes may not look pretty, at least we are making progress in the broadband market (slowly).
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King P @ 18th Aug 10:47AM:
What?
I'm one of AT&Ts biggest critics, but even I think this is ridiculous. The cities complain about not getting service, and then complain about the equipment that provides it? Now if they planted a VRAD in your front yard, that's a different story.
You can't have your cake and eat it too. Also, why am I not surprised that the cities are opting for the free money option? If they truly cared about the looks of it, then they would only want the landscaping done.
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radougherty @ 18th Aug 10:52AM:
Re: AT&T: Your landscape delivered!
said by BabyBear :
Does that include any graffiti cleanup too? Our VRAD hasn't been hit yet, but our "POTS Box" gets tagged at least every few months.
I've seen many VRAD's here in Austin tagged already. Some with the normal graffiti but others where someone has just painted UGLY on them.
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Corehhi @ 18th Aug 10:55AM:
Re: Unsurprising
Bet your right and that's just not right. Those boxes are ugly and I would be mad about having one of those in my front yard.
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fatmanskinny @ 18th Aug 10:55AM:
This song plays as AT&T installs the VRAD box.
»www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdbt-sx5MDc
"That AT&T VRAD box is simply marvtabuloulicious. Smooches!"
--
Addicted to Broadband Reports.
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iansltx @ 18th Aug 11:00AM:
Re: What?
Hmm, yaknow that VRADs are there because AT&T chose VDSL as their upgrade path, versus ADSL2+ (qwest) or FTTH (Verizon). Note that neither Qwest nor Verizon have huge freakin' boxes in front of people's lawns.
I'll bet AT&T will pay for trying to build their network cheaply, in the form of whining, complaining and landscaping on these VRADs.
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Matt @ 18th Aug 11:01AM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by Corehhi :
Bet your right and that's just not right. Those boxes are ugly and I would be mad about having one of those in my front yard.
Yep, and the only time a small sliver of the $1500 per box will be utilized is when someone complains loud enough.
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Jameson @ 18th Aug 11:14AM:
Uhm.
You can put one in my yard if im going to get fiber :hmm:
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swhx7 @ 18th Aug 11:20AM:
Why not dress up the boxes?
Imagine if they built a nicer-looking box around each metal box. Something with wood construction and a little roof, maybe - in any case consistent with the architecture/esthetics of the surrounding houses. It could look like a like a sort of gate-house, like the ones occasionally seen in upscale areas. This could be done for $1500 per box.
Just an idea - maybe this would satisfy complainers enough to lessen an obstacle to better, faster internet.
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dadkins @ 18th Aug 11:32AM:
Re: Wow, what beautiful landscaping!
said by fatmanskinny :
I bet they made center page in Better Homes and Garbage.
LMAO! :D
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morbo @ 18th Aug 11:37AM:
Re: Why not dress up the boxes?
maybe offer billboard space for rent? don't give them any ideas...
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Dogfather @ 18th Aug 11:40AM:
City keeps the money
So AT&T bribes the city at $1500 per box and residents still get to see the fridges in front of their homes.
Gotta love the greed of gov't.
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stormbow @ 18th Aug 11:42AM:
Re: Why not dress up the boxes?
With maybe a little quarter moon cut into the access door.
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BabyBear @ 18th Aug 11:47AM:
Re: Why not dress up the boxes?
Always thought they might put ads on the boxes. At least till local ordinances tell them otherwise. A lot of them are on busy streets with plenty of traffic.
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anon @ 18th Aug 12:00PM:
Test-bed for meta-materials...
cloak of invisibility? (though it might make things more difficult for techs trying to find them when they need maintenance... but that's a small price to pay, I guess)
:D
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Kylemaul @ 18th Aug 12:06PM:
Bury these already!
For $1500 per site, they could/should have buried these things.
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Lowtarget @ 18th Aug 12:11PM:
Re: Test-bed for meta-materials...
said by meh37 :
cloak of invisibility? (though it might make things more difficult for techs trying to find them when they need maintenance... but that's a small price to pay, I guess)
:D
I can see this happen.. Kid on a bike running into the cloak of invisibility. lmao
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fatness @ 18th Aug 12:36PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by TK Junk Mail :
I'll bet the city takes the money and does no landscaping at all for their residents.
Which raises the question of what AT&T feels it's getting for its $1500.
--
Female monkeys often utter loud, distinctive calls before, during or after sex..
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TK Junk Mail @ 18th Aug 12:38PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by fatness :said by TK Junk Mail :
I'll bet the city takes the money and does no landscaping at all for their residents.
Which raises the question of what AT&T feels it's getting for its $1500.
It blocks lawsuits by city governments and friendly rulings on "right of way" issues and zoning issues.
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Matt @ 18th Aug 12:38PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by fatness :said by TK Junk Mail :
I'll bet the city takes the money and does no landscaping at all for their residents.
Which raises the question of what AT&T feels it's getting for its $1500.
Probably use it to convince regulators. "Hey, we'd offer to landscape, but when we do and even paid for the communities to do it themselves they apparently weren't too worried about it!"
--
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zipjay @ 18th Aug 12:52PM:
ya know..
i never thought about it.. but property owners could build like a nice lil shead around the boxes after given permission from AT&T (im sure they could care less) and bam the boxes fit in much better
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m60521 @ 18th Aug 01:23PM:
Re: Bury these already!
Traffic light control boxes used to be burried. Then they developed ICs and smaller circuit boards, and now these boxes are massive "obstructions of view" in many intersections.
AT&T should manufacture vaults that allow the electronic racks to rise-up from below ground for servicing. There is no excuse for these refrigerators in front of houses. Even placing them to the rear of lots would be an improvement.
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ib50MbSoon @ 18th Aug 01:33PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by fatness :
Which raises the question of what AT&T feels it's getting for its $1500.
Maybe it gives T an excuse to add yet another line item to their phone bills?
--
Comcast has spoiled me rotten!
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anon @ 18th Aug 01:35PM:
Re: Unsurprising
Why doesn't AT&T simply buy boxes that look like something else. Like a Rock, or something that doesn't look industrial? Cell phone towers are designed like this.
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insomniac84 @ 18th Aug 02:21PM:
Oh no he didn't!
Uh uh! I ain't hearing that. See, you askin', or you tellin'? 'Cause nobody tells Boxy Brown!
quote:
In a new twist, it appears that AT&T is starting to dole out $1,500 per box in Illinois to be used for landscaping, in an effort to make the boxes less, well, boxy.
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anon @ 18th Aug 03:15PM:
Re: Unsurprising
My thoughts exactly.
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heat84 @ 18th Aug 02:38PM:
------------------------------------------------------------
Why not just disguise them like they do Cell Phone towers?
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King P @ 18th Aug 02:49PM:
Re: What?
I do agree with you that they should've went with either ADSL2+ or FTTH (preferrably FTTH, since we already paid them for it 12 years ago).
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»www.zunetracks.net
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OSUGoose @ 18th Aug 02:53PM:
New Slogan
Your Landscaping. Delivered.
play on Your World. Delivered.
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OSUGoose @ 18th Aug 02:59PM:
3 ft rule
Just wonder if in a few years at&t will be sending another crew out to cut down the landscaping since it will not get maintained, and thus will start to encroach on the 3ft rule for access.
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NormanS @ 18th Aug 02:59PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by Corehhi :
Those boxes are ugly and I would be mad about having one of those in my front yard.
Uglier than these?
Granted, these are not in anybody's front yards. Nor are the majority of the VRADs that I have seen. And all of the VRADs I have seen are adjacent to even uglier "B-Boxes"; which have been in the neighborhoods for years, getting faded with age.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
Comcast |
Comcast |
Oedipus @ 18th Aug 02:59PM:
Re: New Slogan
Thank you for clearing that up. I don't think we've heard their slogan enough already.
Personally, I find the boxes to be a gateway to something other than the wussy 768k DSL I'm forced to use in lieu of the nicely overloaded Comcast that is around these parts. AT&T, you can put one of these right outside my bedroom window for all I care. Or in the middle of the lawn. Or... I don't really care. I wish I was in a position to talk crap on AT&T for these "ugly" VRADs, but since I can't exactly get anything better from someone else, I have to love them.
And I do.
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NormanS @ 18th Aug 03:06PM:
Re: What?
said by iansltx :
Hmm, yaknow that VRADs are there because AT&T chose VDSL as their upgrade path, versus ADSL2+ (qwest) or FTTH (Verizon).
The VRADs are there because AT&T chose to deploy FTTN. The VRADs are the "N" in FTTN. Qwest ADSL2+ also relies on FTTN
Note that neither Qwest nor Verizon have huge freakin' boxes in front of people's lawns.
Qwest does not deploy those "ugly" boxes? Really? How do they get the ADSL2+ close enough to the customer (withing 5,000 feet) for their 20/12 speed tiers?
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
Qwest mini-DSLAM in Albany, Oregon. |
Qwest mini-DSLAMs in Albany, Oregon. |
Doctor Four @ 18th Aug 03:07PM:
Re: To BBR Users...
said by Nightfall :
This VRAD box doesn't look bad at all. It looks like heaven. ;)
Especially if it's in your neighborhood and close enough
for you to get U-Verse Max 10Mbps/1.5Mbps speed service.
--
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eyekahn @ 18th Aug 03:09PM:
I'll save them some money...
And do each one for $1250.
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NormanS @ 18th Aug 03:09PM:
Re: Bury these already!
said by Kylemaul :
For $1500 per site, they could/should have buried these things.
Eh? It probably costs $15,000 just to excavate the hole you would need to bury the box.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
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iansltx @ 18th Aug 03:20PM:
Re: What?
Easy: you don't get it close enough. I'm still stuck on 5 Mbit if I choose to do Qwest. And while I haven't been looking for the mini-DSLAMs it appears from your pictures that even they aren't near the size of AT&T's lawn fridges. I hate Qwest as much of the next guy, but 5000 feet > 3000 feet.
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oldduke @ 18th Aug 03:39PM:
Just paint it camouflage.
The problem isn't that they stand out; it's that they stand out so much. Paint them to blend in.
--
Cogito ergo sum, I think.
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kdepasquale @ 18th Aug 04:39PM:
Re: Just paint it camouflage.
In my city they've basically been doing this - those that are around shrubbery are painted a natural green colour. Took me several weeks to even notice that a cabinet had been placed in many of these areas.
Also in my city, part of the deal with putting in VRADs was that they had to be placed in areas where the cabinets wouldn't be seen, or in areas where other cabinets already were located. Then, they required AT&T to cover the expenses caused by the city putting in landscaping to hide the VRADs. And to top it off, AT&T is required to repaint the SAIs that the VRADs are near to make them blend in as well. It's worked great for the city here - hasn't seemed to slow VRAD deployment. Why haven't all cities required this?
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rahvin112 @ 18th Aug 04:40PM:
Re: Unsurprising
$1500 is nothing. That might get you 2 people for 2 hours and no materials. Landscaping is expensive. Considering the damage they typically do installing stuff like this $1500 is the bare minimum, if I was the city in question I'd probably want more and if I was a property owner I would want more. When they replaced the transformer in my yard that exploded they did almost that much damage to existing landscaping just driving in a new one onto the existing service. Add in new service lines and an new concrete pad and the damage would have been double or triple that. You people that have never owned a house don't realize that bush every 1 gallon plant is $20+, mulch, curbing, sod and plants can quickly top $1000 and that's just materials, labor triples the cost.
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Kylemaul @ 18th Aug 04:45PM:
Re: Bury these already!
I grant you these -are- large boxes, but $15K? One of us needs a reality check and it could be me. :hmm:
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NormanS @ 18th Aug 06:33PM:
Re: Bury these already!
How big, and deep, do you suppose the hole needs to be? There has to be room for a tech to stand at the door on each side; or space enough for the racks, if you are just putting in a vault for the equipment racks. The tech has to have space to work. Permits from the city, etc., etc., etc.
$1,500 might buy them the permit...but excavation, and construction of the vault, and installation of environmental control equipment.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
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NormanS @ 18th Aug 06:43PM:
Re: What?
said by iansltx :
Easy: you don't get it close enough. I'm still stuck on 5 Mbit if I choose to do Qwest.
AT&T wants to get Uverse past as many homes as possible. Their qualifying limit is about 3,128 feet, I believe. Basically, a VRAD next to every B-Box will be necessary.
And while I haven't been looking for the mini-DSLAMs it appears from your pictures that even they aren't near the size of AT&T's lawn fridges.
Sorry that I didn't have anybody to stand next to them; but I was there. They are at least as big as the one in this screen shot.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
.jpg/thumb.jpg "110856 bytes")
AT&T VRAD (on the left; B-Box on the right). |
CoxCable4 @ 18th Aug 07:01PM:
Bury
why can't they just bury them? it would seem like they have the technology to keep this stuff watertight by now.
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bogey780 @ 18th Aug 07:13PM:
Re: What?
Man, you really don't know a thing about plant engineering.
Any form of active electronics require a cabinet rated for al weather use along with appropriate power and surge protection. Qwest indeed has these cabinets. As did BellSouth. Verizon has some too. But not as many and not as large.
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bogey780 @ 18th Aug 07:15PM:
Re: Bury these already!
How about spending the 1500 on magic beans?
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bogey780 @ 18th Aug 07:17PM:
Re: Put one of these in my yard!
Bellsouth's standard operating procedure on most sites was to fence around it.
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fatness @ 18th Aug 08:03PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by TK Junk Mail :
It blocks lawsuits by city governments and friendly rulings on "right of way" issues and zoning issues.
Just accepting the money wouldn't block lawsuits. Is that written into agreements?
said by Matt :
Probably use it to convince regulators. "Hey, we'd offer to landscape, but when we do and even paid for the communities to do it themselves they apparently weren't too worried about it!"
That would be my guess, too.
--
Female monkeys often utter loud, distinctive calls before, during or after sex..
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Kylemaul @ 18th Aug 09:02PM:
Re: Bury these already!
We are thinking on two different paths...I was in the camp of "keep it simple" with m60521. And I'm assuming the environment control is for techs (not needed in the KIS scenario), as u/g is friendlier environment than above ground ever dreamt of being for the equip..
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rody_44 @ 18th Aug 09:05PM:
would not be in my yard
luckily verizon is in this area because if they stuck that ugly piece of shit in my yard ide tear it out.
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djhexer @ 18th Aug 09:16PM:
install one in my back yard!!!
offer me discounted service...
I would let a tech come in anytime if it needs service!!!
There. problem solved. no box in the front and I reap all the benefits. :D
I bet there is more people out there like me
and as for resell value... even better if I told them they would receive a discount on service if they bought my house over my neighbors. also I could do a little landscaping around it and it would be fine for me.
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insomniac @ 18th Aug 09:24PM:
Re: Unsurprising
Yep, I'm waiting for the "Landscaping Recovery Fee."
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quatrix @ 18th Aug 09:56PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by rahvin112 :
You people that have never owned a house don't realize that bush every 1 gallon plant is $20+, mulch, curbing, sod and plants can quickly top $1000 and that's just materials, labor triples the cost.
Then you've been getting ripped off.
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TK Junk Mail @ 18th Aug 10:00PM:
Re: Unsurprising
said by fatness :said by TK Junk Mail :
It blocks lawsuits by city governments and friendly rulings on "right of way" issues and zoning issues.
Just accepting the money wouldn't block lawsuits. Is that written into agreements?
If the city accepted the money it would block lawsuits by the city. It wouldn't block lawsuits by the residents.
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CylonRed @ 18th Aug 10:38PM:
Re: Bury
Because after awhile they will leak - water is a GREAT force and it takes a tiny little nick and it will work its way in. At the previous house my mom lived at the phone went out every time it rained a great deal.
In our are of Ohio - they have done a great job of locating them. Usually near streets (farthest away from the house) and very near or in utility easements.
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anon @ 18th Aug 10:54PM:
msg deleted
deleted by a moderator
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JLT @ 18th Aug 11:44PM:
Re: install one in my back yard!!!
Can't they do something like in the link below.
»www.moillusions.com/2008/03/pain···ion.html
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artie @ 18th Aug 11:59PM:
no big deal
Two big refrigerators in the front yard is no big deal around my part of town :)
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iansltx @ 19th Aug 12:01AM:
Re: What?
Are you talking to me? Just to be clear, I'm not arguing that Qwest\VZ\BellSouth didn't have cabinets, just saying that alternate tehs, as you said, are fewer and smaller boxes.
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XBL2009 @ 19th Aug 05:47AM:
VDSL
VDSL wouldn't that bad if it was used for only internet instead of wasting it on crappy tv that we already get from one cable company and two satellite companies.
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NormanS @ 19th Aug 05:50AM:
Re: What?
The Qwest boxes are not smaller than the AT&T VRADs. I've stood next to both.
Fewer boxes means longer distances. If you intend to put 80% of your customers within 3,128 feet of the DSLAMs, you will need more than a handful of these boxes.
AFAIK, Qwest does not intend to be half as aggressive as AT&T at deploying these boxes. So I expect that a lot of Qwest customers will be stuck with 3 MB service, or slower, despite ADSL2+.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
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NormanS @ 19th Aug 06:04AM:
Re: Bury these already!
I expect that the electronics will generate a lot of heat, which will need venting.
My Internet search on 'm60521' is a mixed bag of ambiguous results.
Have you actually priced an excavation?
Looking at the VRADs on Castle Glen way, I expect that AT&T would have to dig a hole extending across the sidewalk to the fence, and to the edge of the pavement. The concrete for curb and sidewalk would have to come out, and then be replaced when the job is finished. Probably have to replace the fence, as well. And where will the access go? In the parking strip? I have no doubt that it can be done. I have serious doubts that it can be done for under $15,000.
As I said, $1500 will probably just cover the permits required by the city.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
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fatness @ 19th Aug 08:28AM:
Re: Unsurprising
I don't see that stated in the article, and I don't follow your reasoning. »www.sj-r.com/breaking/x183579861···-rollout
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Female monkeys often utter loud, distinctive calls before, during or after sex..
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iansltx @ 19th Aug 10:22AM:
Re: What?
Aaaaand...I'm stuck on 4.26...er...Up To 5 Mbit service here. They say hat they're rolling out stuff for faster connections in my area, but if the Comcrap guy comes today then I'll be long gone before they do so.
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Kylemaul @ 19th Aug 11:00AM:
Re: Bury these already!
How much do the permits cost to put them above ground? Same or less? As for venting, I don't think they would need very much if any. Conditions above ground are much hotter, and I haven't seen any significant vents in those. Underground is much cooler, even if the top surface is exposed.
Placement could be an interesting compromise: customers not wanting the "fridge" could possibly opt to place u/g further into their property line to avoid these (and hence avoid the expensive obstacles like sidewalks, etc?)
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Doctor Olds @ 19th Aug 08:56PM:
Re: Why not dress up the boxes?
This should be the new design. :D
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veloct @ 20th Aug 07:44AM:
Family looking for ugly box
I would be more than happy to have access to an ugly box if it'll upgrade my net service.
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thedragonmas @ 23rd Aug 03:55AM:
Re: Unsurprising
if they gave me MAX speed free for life, id let them set the sucker on my front porch!
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ATT Vet @ 23rd Aug 12:31PM:
V-Rad Landscaping and Placement
A 30 foot high utility pole with wires shooting every direction is much better dont you think? Comcast and their contractors do an awesome job of leaving dead service drops hanging with in the reach of children.
I wish I had a nickle for every yard I worked in that the homeowner didn't understand that dog crap doesn't pick its self up, lawns dont mow themselves and litter boxes dont empty themselves out. You may not realize your house smells like a nursing home but believe me if you have a cat or two your house stinks. But yeah a small beige colored box (glad we moved away from that "puke green" we have used for decades) is the thing deminishing your property values. Not your faded cracked vinyl siding, rotting decks, and Christmas decorations left out year round.
Gang bangers tagging every possible surface, garbage cans left out people that never even spend time outside just looking for something to complain about.
If people didn't want the service there would be no V-Rads. Yes Att does fail to maintain landscaping its a big problem. People need to complain to the company and your elected officials who seemingly only want $$$$$$ and the occasional vote when they need it.
FYI Fiber to the prem developments do not have V-Rads. Only those areas serviced by copper have them.
I can not even begin to tell you how many people would love to have a V-rad in there neighborhood. Talk to anybody in MillBrook Illinois, Prestbury or any of our outlying service ares. As a technician who routinely extends DSL service as far as 20,000' I hope we have more V-Rads in the future. My customers demand them .
As far as the worse culprit in failure to maintain visible equipment its Comcast and Media Com those non union and union busting companies couldn't care less about you, your families and there employees.
Putting a V-Rad underground costs a lot more then $1500.00
This is my thoughts and opinions not those of ATT
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FastiBook @ 24th Aug 01:41PM:
We only have a few.
Comparison of old & new.
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LETS GO METS!
The new twins |
Twins with step-brother |
Size comparison Fios |
Size comparison POTS |
JoeG4 @ 25th Aug 06:35AM:
Re: We only have a few.
In our area they replaced all of the old B-boxes with new beige ones. IMHO the only sad thing is their new telco boxes aren't as funky as the old ones (eg, the floating RTs hehe), waste of money I suppose, but it'd be neat if they made sculpture instead of generic beige boxes.
The comcast boxes aren't pretty, but they're MUCH, and I do say.. MUCH smaller than a V-Rad, shit they're about 1/3 the size of your average B-box in height/width (maybe a bit thicker). Thing is, they're placed all over the damn place, there's what.. 12 comcast boxes for every vrad?
If you ask me the problem isn't that AT&T is now placing V-Rads in people's front yards, no the problem is that the city allowed that to happen.
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