Get off my lawn: UK.Gov looks to reform land access laws for network operators weeks after PAC savages full-fibre gigabit targets for 2025 The UK government is looking to reform the laws governing how communications equipment is deployed and managed, in an effort to speed up the rollout of gigabit-capable connections. A new consultation, opened today by Minister for Digital Infrastructure Matt Warman, will look at three problem areas: issues related to obtaining …
I wonder if we'll be seeing events like they're getting over the Pond, where people have had 5G junction boxes installed in their front gardens without any notification or right to refuse.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Streamlined-5G-buildout-puts-ground-15889021.php
It's not surprising that some people are reticent, when contractors like Complete (disaster) Utilities are in charge of smashing digging up the road / verge.
One year on, and there's still patches of tarmac being replaced, exposed ducting running in drainage ditches, missing road drains, repeater stations built in flood areas...
Aparently the service is ok, but I'm reticent about the installation from the lane box, across 10m of black top drive.
Highways Agency's most used look>
Yeah, VirginMedia in the UK are not exactly great at running cable from the road connection to your property either. I had an agreed route for them to use but after they'd finished I found they ran the cable through my hedge, under some stuff and over other bits. Plus when they initially installed it I had to rewire the connection on the side of my house because they had balls'd that up too.
More recently, I accidentally cut the cable when trimming my hedge but they did come out and fix that for free at least.
I think if one of those appeared on my lawn without notification, I'd probably take the view that given the lawn is my land, and the aesthetics already ruined/changed anyway, so I'd encase the thing in concrete and then stick a statue or something on top of it.
Be terrible if the lack of airflow meant it stopped working.
They could've at least put it at edge of lawn (picture suggest it being plonked quite away from the kerb).
So what if you accidentally knock it over...or were planning to do something else with that part of YOUR property that is now blocked by the cabinet. Guess you could always plant some japanese knotweed next to it.
Pretty shitty law I'd say. At he very least the property owner should be entitled to specify where on the property (within reason) they can erect their crap. Not that I am suprised...in land of the free the big telco/cable have pretty free reign.
So the UK government is right at this moment pushing for trespass to become a criminal offence, rather than a civil one and positing the idea that telecoms providers can march onto your land if the mood takes them. I love the way a public school education can erase the negative effects of cognitive dissonance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-police-powers-to-tackle-unauthorised-encampments
Try cutting the cables (on someone else's property) and see if anyone comes running. Don't do it on your own property in case they have good lawyers.
On a more serious note, if you do cut the cables and anyone does come along to complain, offer to fix the cables yourself - the fact that you are reading The Register suggests you would do a better job than the underpaid, overworked tagnut they would send to repair them.
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