24 February 2009

The Future Is Here, and It's Ugly; A Spreading Techno-blight of Wires, Cables and Towers Sparks a Revolt


More than 73,000 cell phone towers with heights of at least 200 feet are scattered across the American landscape, according to the Federal Communications Commission. But that does not include myriad other cellular transmitters and receivers, called cell sites, that are placed on lower towers or on poles and buildings. Some experts estimate that more than 100,000 cell sites are now in place. Ted Kreines, a consultant in Tiburon, Calif., who advises local governments on doing business with telecommunications companies, said that the growth of such technology is just beginning. He estimated that as many as one million cell sites would be installed by the time technology companies reached their desired capacity for wireless data and voice transmissions. Utility poles and wires are even more common. According to the F.C.C., more than 180 million telephone cables stretch across the country. The country has more than three million miles of overhead power lines, according to the Edison Electric Institute, an association of utility companies.

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