The Forum

At the Village Board meeting this past Monday, several residents of N. Stowell complained of the sudden appearance of a massive grey communications box near the intersection of Stowell and Capitol. What is the box? Did the Village explicitly allow this eyesore to be placed there? Do we have any recourse to have it removed?

OVERVIEW

I did some searching on my own, and the box appears to be related to an AT&T initiative called "Project Lightspeed," which according to an AT&T's webpage, "will deliver a whole new portfolio of integrated, digital TV, high speed Internet and voice services - all under the AT&T U-verse brand."

These boxes have been cropping up in towns all across the region and the country, alarming residents and government alike. There has, in many cases, been no explicit authorization from the municipality for AT&T to install the boxes. Preventing AT&T from installing further boxes has, in other areas including Northern Illinois, required emergency ordinances to be passed, resulting in extensive legal maneuvering by both sides.

Because AT&T is intending to deliver video services through the boxes, there are questions about key aspects of the revenue sharing arrangement between the municipalities and the cable company. For Shorewood, the Village receives roughly $110,000 per year from this arrangement. As such, problems with this contract are of serious concern to us.

We need to stop construction of these boxes until we know for certain what they are (Although I believe they are related to Project Lightspeed, I am not certain). We also must require that AT&T work within the appropriate legal framework to seek permits. This issues affects you, even if you do not live on Stowell. Unless we take action, they will keep cropping up, and may soon visit your own street. Click here for a list of the current Village Trustees and their email addresses.

THE DETAILS

The problems with this onslaught of ugliness extend beyond the boxes' comprehensive lack of curb appeal.

1. Village attorney Ray Pollen explained at the meeting that AT&T has certain rights to install equipment in the village, based on their status as a provider of telecommunications. However, there are legitimate questions as to whether these rights extend to the installation of video (read: TV) equipment. Since these boxes are part of the infrastructure that AT&T intends to use to provide television programming, it is not at all clear whether they have the rights to install these boxes.

2. In addition to this lack of clarity, there are also concerns about the impact this service would have on the cable television agreements between the cable companies, and the municipalities. Cable companies share some portion of their revenue with many municipalities. Will AT&T be required to do the same? Will their entrance into the market make the cable compacts void?

3. Additionally, cable companies must adhere to a vast array of regulatory requirements. AT&T has attempted to argue, in other municipalities, that because their service will be carried over the phone lines, they do not have to adhere to the same regulations.

4. There is also the issue of zoning rights. Shorewood's village government ought to have the right to determine when someone is allowed to build a 6' x 3' x 3' metal box in the middle of the public right of way. Although AT&T has the right to install certain types of equipment without seeking a seperate permit, they appear to me to have abused that privilege in this case.

Articles about other municipalities dealing with Project Lightspeed

1. AT&T Says We Are Not Cable Television
2. Aurora holds off on AT&T plan challenge
3. Cable cries foul
4. AT&T threatening to pull plug on state