AT&T Batteries "Hazardous Waste"

JS Online: AT&T replacing batteries: "'It's no small task. But on the other hand, AT&T can't take too long because there could be other incidents,' said industry consultant Kermit Ross, principal of Millennium Marketing in Frisco, Texas.

'It's going to be ugly. These batteries have to be handled as hazardous waste. They're supposed to be put back in their original packing material. . . you can't just drop them off at the local landfill.'

AT&T could have saved a lot of money if it had stopped using the Avestor batteries immediately after the Houston explosion in 2006, according to Ross."

Fires and explosions forcing AT&T to replace batteries in its street-side cable boxes

Cleveland Metro News – The Latest Breaking News, Photos and Stories from The Plain Dealer

Fires forcing AT&T to replace batteries in its street-side cable boxes - Cleveland Metro News – The Latest Breaking News, Photos and Stories from The Plain Dealer:

"The big metal boxes that have showed up on tree lawns around the region to help AT&T provide cable service have a flaw that can make them catch fire.

After four boxes around the country -- including one in Strongsville -- exploded or burst into flame, AT&T has decided to replace the backup batteries believed to be the problem.

About 17,000 street-side cabinets for AT&T's U-Verse cable system will have the batteries replaced soon, according to company spokespeople. Though the problem batteries are in only 'some' of AT&T's boxes, according to a written statement from AT&T, spokesman Bob Beasely could not say how many are in Ohio.

A box caught fire on Misty Lake Drive in Strongsville on the afternoon of Sept. 17, according to the Strongsville Fire Department. Sgt. Frank Nosal said records do not indicate any damage other than to the box. The cause was not determined."

AT&T's TV Efforts Smolder

AT&T's TV Efforts Smolder - News & Analysis - Technology - DTV - T:

"AT&T's sputtering video effort, known as U-Verse, has been hit with a literally explosive setback.

Ma Bell has had four incidents involving smoldering batteries and, in at least one case, an explosion in one of the thousands of network cabinets used for its TV delivery systems, according to a report in telecom trade publication Light Reading."

Watch this video and get the straight story from The Street.com

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1243645856/bctid1378335954

Wauwatosa residents had expressed safety concerns over AT$T cabinets | Save Access

WI: Wauwatosa residents had expressed safety concerns over AT$T cabinets Save Access:
Wauwatosa residents had expressed safety concerns over AT&T cabinets

"Nearly a year before the recent explosion of an AT&T VRAD cabinet in Wauwatosa Wisconsin, some local residents had expressed safety concerns about the large boxes. At a February 12, 2007, City Planning Commission Meeting, residents opposed the installation of a VRAD box and had sent emails and information to the Commission making specific reference to the fires and explosions in Houston Texas.
At the Hearing, a local attorney representing AT&T 'addressed the concerns of the emails regarding an AT&T cabinet that had exploded in Houston, Texas. He said that the explosion was one incident out of all the cabinets that have been installed and AT&T is investigating the situation. He indicated that last month there were two sites where the fiber conversion cabinets were located in the city right-of-way. They have been trying to move as many sites as possible into easements with property owners. In this particular location the cabinet is going to be moved at the request of the property owner to a new location that will be in the same area, but further from the sidewalk'. Ironically, the location in this instance, 2186 N. 74th Street, turned out to be only ten blocks from the AT&T VRAD cabinet that exploded Dec. 25, 2007."

AT&T ADMITS FOURTH GODZILLA BOX FIRE NEAR CLEVELAND, OH

Light Reading - Broadband - AT&T Begins Massive Battery Replacement - Telecom News Analysis: "But wait... there's more
AT&T now admits it had two more incidents before the end of 2007 -- one small fire in an equipment cabinet and one cabinet explosion. The small fire occured in one of AT&T's cabinets near Cleveland, the carrier says, though it won't elaborate on the location."

Police car rolls on Godzillabox fire & explosion in Wauwatosa, WI

ANOTHER AT&T GODZILLA BOX EXPLODES IN WISCONSIN!

Your World Delivered . . . On Fire Save Access: "Your World Delivered . . . On Fire
Posted on January 12, 2008 - 9:59am.

Another AT&T U-verse VRAD Cabinet Explodes

In the early hours of Christmas morning, an AT&T VRAD cabinet (DSLAM) exploded in the city of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Only days earlier, Governor Jim Doyle had signed Assembly Bill 207, a statewide cable franchise bill pushed through by AT&T despite the best efforts of municipalities and public interest advocates to stop it. A saveaccess reader concerned over the lack of any local or regional news coverage sent us the following note with the attached photos:

'There has been another AT&T Cabinet fire, this time in Wisconsin. At 12:30 am 12/25/07 an AT&T Cabinet at 64th Street and North Avenue in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, exploded and caught fire. The burned cabinet was removed between 4 and 5 am and replaced with a new cabinet by 7 am. The techs worked on the new cabinet all day. This cabinet was originally across the street, but was moved next to an office building at the request of neighbors and the city. Luckily the building is all brick and did not burn. Inquires with the city have said that AT&T met with city officials and are bringing in an AT&T official from San Antonio to look into the problem.'"

Costa Mesa officials try to block 'eyesore'

http://www.ocregister.com/news/boxes-service-officials-1957952-very-naghavi:

"Costa Mesa officials try to block 'eyesore'
AT&T wants to put scores of metal boxes on city streets, raising concerns about aesthetics.

By JEFF OVERLEY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

COSTA MESA – Plans to add scores of steel boxes to city streets for Internet access and television service are riling elected officials who are concerned about damage to neighborhood aesthetics.
AT&T, as part of its fiber optic U-Verse service, wants to install 113 metal cabinets on sidewalks throughout town. Twenty-six have already been added, but officials have halted progress on the remaining 87 boxes until a method of improving the boxes' appearance can be devised."