(ETH) – This was literally the headlines of an article from “The Verge” and it is already happening in the United States. Residents are discovering that freezer-size 5G Units that are feeding a 5G antenna are being placed in their yards.
This was the case for some Houston, TX residents that are having Verizon install the boxes as part of its 5G network rollout since at least 2019, according to the Houston Chronicle. These 5G boxes are known as “ground fixtures,” which supply power and data to 5G antennas that are placed on utility poles nearby.
However, according to the report, The boxes are being set up to build out Verizon’s 5G home internet service. Because millimeter-wave tech is blazing-fast but has terrible range. The solution will be to blanket an area with antennas, and the equipment for that has to go somewhere so it is ending up in front of people’s homes and Verizon is under no obligation to get permission from homeowners before installing these boxes.
Streamlined 5G buildout puts ‘ground furniture’ in Houston’s front yards https://t.co/je47v706lk
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) January 22, 2021
In fact, according to The Verge, it’s not even required to notify residents that it’s going to happen. This is because, technically, the boxes (and the utility poles that go along with them) are installed on the right-of-way, which is land owned by the county.
Houston isn’t the only city that will be having these surprise boxes show up and it’s not just Verizon that is placing them. The plan has reportedly been playing out for years as telecoms are trying to expand their networks and prepare for the 5G transition. As 5G continues its rollout you will begin to see this happening across America.
