By: MarkJ - 9 September, 2010 (8:52 AM) - Score: 19325 - Fixed Line Broadband
The national Civic Voice campaign group, which aims to make places in the UK more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive by having ugly signs and objects (e.g. road signs and bollards) removed, has turned its attention to the new generation of "super-fast" 40Mb fibre optic ( FTTC ) based broadband services being rolled out in St Albans and elsewhere around the country.The situation is similar to one that we first covered during March of this year, when BT engineers trying to install an FTTC cabinet in St Albans (The Ridgeway) were thwarted after angry residents blocked them from completing its construction (original news).
In fact BT's large new 1.8m tall, dark green, FTTC junction boxes (street cabinets) have been slated on numerous occasions in other areas too, with people accusing them of being "unsightly" and causing an obstruction. Residents in Muswell Hill, North London (here) and Brighton and Hove / Middlewich (here) have in the past raised almost identical concerns.
Now Vanessa Gregory of Chiswell Green (St Albans) has teamed up with other members of Civic Voice to take on BT Openreach as part of a national campaign to control the operators proliferation of "super-fast" FTTC broadband boxes around the country.
Ms Gregory told the St Albans Review newspaper:
"We are not against broadband - I know it is vitally important for many businesses and very useful for people. But the boxes are huge ugly things and a blight on the street scene.
The nation needs broadband but it does not have to be at the expense of the street environment. BT Openreach and other broadband infrastructure have responsibilities to the millions of people whose local environment is affected as well as to broadband customers."
"We are not against broadband - I know it is vitally important for many businesses and very useful for people. But the boxes are huge ugly things and a blight on the street scene.
The nation needs broadband but it does not have to be at the expense of the street environment. BT Openreach and other broadband infrastructure have responsibilities to the millions of people whose local environment is affected as well as to broadband customers."
Ms Gregory and members of Civic Voice are expected to meet with BT Openreach on 22nd September, where they hope to force BT into being more flexible with FTTC cabinet design and colours (pink and purple, anybody?
). They will also encourage BT to develop "alternative technologies", allowing the removal of street cabinets once redundant.In fairness BT are guilty of, at times, failing to inform local authorities and councils about the exact locations of their new cabinets. Likewise some of BT's rivals have found ways of hiding the cabinets underground, raising them only when necessary, which is something that BT itself could consider.
Some 77,000 homes and businesses in Hoddesdon, Waltham Cross, St Albans, Lea Valley and Watford (Hertfordshire towns) are now able to get BT's super-fast broadband service, which aims to reach 66% of UK premises by 2015. We would be happy to have an "ugly" FTTC cabinet on our street, as would many others, if it meant getting a decent broadband speed. Credits to Thinkbroadband for spotting the news.
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Comments: 6
KoshPosted: 9 September, 2010 - 9:48 AM
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Is this a joke
What planet are these people on
Legolash2oPosted: 9 September, 2010 - 10:34 AM
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I wouldnt mind having an FTTC cabinet on my street, if the wanted to they could even put it in a smaller corner of my garden so that it wouldnt bother anyone else.
Faster broadband = better house value as alot of people go for fast broadband when moving house these days.
I bet these people complain about their slow broadband but yet still complain when they finally get fast broadband.
No RestPosted: 9 September, 2010 - 10:51 AM
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No doubt these are the same people who complained about TV Antennas, Satellite Dishes, Mobile Phone Masts. The solution is simple. Put them to the back of the list for FTTC and name and shame them. Luddites are alive and kicking in the 21st century lol!
timelessPosted: 9 September, 2010 - 3:34 PM
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the way l see it some ppl just need something to complain about..
most of the ppl l know are vocal about it are the same ppl that litter and flytip.. (since lve moved lve reported em lol)
HermesPosted: 26 September, 2010 - 5:32 PM
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I do realise it was said in jest, but painting cabinets different colours would not be allowed in most areas as councils dictate they need to be green.
This is a big issue in the summertime heat, with green absorbing heat and causing cabinets to overheat and a loss of service.
If they were allowed to paint them - say - reflective silver instead there would be a heat reduction of up to 20% and far less chance of service interruption.
Not that the NIMBYs would allow that of course.
H
www.thehermesproject.com
PerplexedPosted: 11 July, 2011 - 3:46 PM
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Drilling Saturday, installed Monday.
No information, consultation, consideration,or local jurisdiction.
Big Society, local democracy. It's a joke, a shambles.
Big Brother BT strikes again.
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