If AT&T gets their way, you can expect to see a massive grey box, similar to this one, in your neighborhood very soon. This week, AT&T informed our Village Manager that we can expect
15 to 16 more boxes in Shorewood by the time the project is complete. They have been plunking down the boxes all over the Milwaukee region, ignoring requests from concered municipalities to stop or slow the expansion. At issue is AT&T's desire to deliver television services over the phone lines. Since they are the telephone provider, they argue, they have free access to the right-of-way to place any communications equipment they want. While I am all for lower prices through competition in the cable market, AT&T's behavior in this case is difficult for me to support.
From this week's
Shorewood Village Manager's Memo:
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AT&T plans 15-16 more boxes throughout the Village. It remains the Village's position that they should try to place them on public property hidden from view, or other areas where they won't be a nuisance both physically and aesthetically. Their technology is limited in that they have to be placed to maximize video service to the customer, so
they cannot promise that they won't be in the right-of-ways. They will work with the Village, if possible and landscape as needed. Legislation remains pending at the state level that will help AT&T by-pass local regulations of these boxes."
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