Perspective | When it comes to utility wires and boxes, companies pass the buck

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When it comes to utility wires and boxes, companies pass the buck

About a month ago, a utility box on a utility pole in my neighborhood lost its door. A utility pole is what we used to call a telephone pole. These days, these poles can be home to as many different forms of machinery as a coral reef is to fishes, crabs and sponges. There are electrical wires at the top, then a panoply of other services: telephone, cable, Internet, Fios. I wouldn’t be surprised if some start-up was trying to pump lattes and cappuccinos through this existing infrastructure.

Anyway, this startling variety makes it difficult to figure out who to call when something goes wrong.This particular utility box is about two-thirds of the way up the pole. It’s metal, pale green, about three feet by four feet and 18 inches deep. The front panel must have come off in a storm. I’ve been passing it every day when I walk my dog. The door just sat there on the ground.

There are two numbers, actually. I took photos of both and sent them to Pepco, which of course already knew about the pole and the box, since their crew had already slapped that sticker on the door.theyI called 311. The operator there was surprised to hear that Pepco was telling people to call 311. He said all he could do was give me the toll-free numbers of the companies thatAnd so I started calling them.“That’s a Comcast box,” he said.A Comcast technician showed up at my door the next day.

 

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Vines got out of control on a pole by our house last year. We took down what we could reach, but the dry dead vines snake up beyond that including to the wires. I worry that it's a fire hazard but don't have time for the run around.

Just wait until their republican buddies take over. We won’t even be able to sell our excess solar power back

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