Large utility boxes are popping up in front of houses across the country, and some owners are concerned it will lower their property values.
Wireless companies are installing boxes in front of homes as part of their 5G network rollout. But homeowners aren’t pleased, calling the chest freezer–sized boxes a big eyesore in their front yards.
The boxes supply power and data to 5G antennas that are placed on utility poles nearby. Homeowners in Houston have been voicing their ire over the “ugly” installations from Verizon. The company is launching its 5G network in that city, and is now headed to its suburbs to install 5G transmission boxes there.
Wireless companies do not need to get permission from homeowners before installing the boxes. They don’t even need to notify them beforehand because the boxes are installed on a public right-of-way. This land is owned by the county, even if it does appear in a person’s front yard.
Wireless firms are looking to expand their 5G networks, a connection speed that is touted as five to 10 times faster than current 4G speeds. But homeowners are growing concerned that the infrastructure of these super-fast speeds could hurt their real estate values. Some owners with these 5G boxes in their yards are concerned that it will diminish their property values, The Houston Chronicle reports.
Availability of 5G remains limited across the country. But as wireless companies continue the rollout, which is expected to widen in scope this year, more homeowners may find these boxes appearing on their properties.
Source: “‘It’s Ugly’: Verizon 5G Data Boxes Appear Without Notice on Houston Front Lawns,” Houston Chronicle (Jan. 22, 2021) and “5G Boxes Are Coming to People’s Homes, Whether They Want Them or Not,” The Verge (Jan. 25, 2021)