Better WiFi and Cell Service Through NY Street Lights

The Department of Informational Technology and Telecommunications announced that different telecom providers will "fit about 18,000 lampposts...with cellular and high speed Internet antennaes" in a $25 million/year franchise agreement, according to the Post, which would mean more WiFi hot spots, faster rollout of 3G technology. Of course, there's some opposition, like Councilman Vallone who worries about health issues from cell antennaes and wants radiation inspection paid for by the telcom companies. ITT Commissioner Gino Menchini says the antennas are below FCC exposure guidelines, "In fact, the radiation from a micorwave oven exceeds by 100 times the emissions from these antennas." Hmm - you maybe use your microwave twice, three times a day while you're always walking outside. But let's face it, pretty much every New Yorker will rejoice, because there's nothing we like better than getting out information now now now. Gothamist wonders what this means for the City Lights competition. Will the new cell-and-Internet antennas be incorporated into them? Or will the antennas be hidden by some "real" NY touches, like sneakers or faux pigeons, the way the cell phone tower on the Hutchinson looks like a (super ugly) tree or ones in the West look like sagueros?

Gothamist on the city's cell phone reception problems study. And the above image from Forgotten NY's street lamps page.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 29, 2004 9:22 AM

Comments [rss]

Lewis

Some years ago (back in the 1990s), when the cellular antennaes were first introduced in New York City, some numbers of people got sick and had to leave New York City. There was an actual lawsuit initiated against the City by some doctors (MDs); naturally, this was thrown out because there was simply too much money involved in the new business ventures. Like with any new technology, the weak were the first to go; the rest of us simply receive an additional stress that we have to deal with--just an additional pollutant. Some will succumb to it over time, most obviously will not--but the quality of life goes a notch lower. We have an economy that is addicted to constant innovations, whether or not these innovations add to the quality of life. Of course, the inventors will claim that these add to the quality of life--and most people will agree simply because they are too frightened to be called "uncool" or be "left behind."

ellie

cellular antennas on lamp posts, or on rooftops or cell towers, emit microwave radiation. it will not "cook" you or break DNA bonds but several studies have shown that it can alter DNA. This is done over the long term and is called a "non-thermal" effect of non-ionizing radiation. Also, radiation penetrates buildings, so just because you are inside does not mean you are protected. while the jury is out regarding actual links to cancer, etc, the city needs to think this issue through and involve the public in the decision making. i for one, am not rejoicing over this latest development.

Kevin Walsh

Cellphones allow people without empathy or consideration for others to demonstrate their lack of those attributes...

Ah...but we keep it light at...

www.forgotten-ny.com

Lewis

Talk about a forgotten New York. Speaking with the perspective of someone who grew up to adulthood prior to the commercial introduction of the cell-phone it seems to me that people have lost a lot of the qualities of relating to each other. The norm seems to be that people talk to each another like they are not there, even when they are physically together. Some people would consider this cool,whereas some of us from the forgotten New York would consider this sad.

Mike

Between leaded gasoline, a smoking populace, and no EPA, the air in any city, circa 1956, was far more poisonous than today's. If you want to see what 1956 air is like, keep Bush in the White House and you'll be hacking like a bobbysoxer in short order.

Kevin walsh

Ach, we need more streetlamps with incandescent bulbs & less cell phones...

I wish it was 1956...

www.forgotten-ny.com

Not Homeless

"but you are always walking outside"

Maybe if you are homeless and jobless. The rest of us are usually "always" in buildings where we live, work and drink.

Janice

Great. Cooked brain is a tasty dish.

condour

Microwaves don't cause cancer. They cook you. If you were to put your hand in a microwave oven, it would get warm, then uncomfortably hot, and if you pulled it out in time, you'd never get cancer. In fact, the microwave was invented after the inventor noticed sailors warming themselves on cold days by standing next to the radar.

But for cancer to occur, the wavelength has to be short enough to knock bound electrons around, scrambling the chemical structure of dna. It's not; out of non-ionizing radiation, only uv is known to fall into this category.

Here's skepdic on the issue: http://www.skepdic.com/emf.html

MoeGolden

http://www.utilitycamo.com/sites.html

dirtgirl

(isn't it saguaro?)

KP - the call boxes are supposed to work, though this set of instructions for use by the disabled is the only info I can find about them on the city's website. I like the idea for the orange lights. It's good to know where they are - they have direct hard lines to fire stations, something that could come in handy when the next blackout or random phone-clogging emergency happens & you need help.

do we know what the new WiFi light-post toppers will look like? this combined with the orange light things, it's going to start looking pretty cluttered up there. will be a nice addition to the tied-together-sneakers and kids bike decorating the overhead wires in my neighborhood.

MoeGolden

We need cell-phone saqueros in Manhattan!

Maybe in the most ironic part of town, wherever that is. I'm thinking Meatpacking, since it's ulta-hip, yet meat is still packed there.

Lawrence

Every study on microwaves every done is that they are bad for health (they "fry" living cells but are harmless to dead cells). Congress knew this (in conjunction with the lobbyist) so in the Telecommunications act signed under Clinton they specifically exempted health concerns as a factor for any of these new technologies. It's a payoff--convenience and longterm health.

KP

Many people don't know this but those orange lightsticks that you see on top of some lamp posts are indicators that there is an emergency cll box on that corner. The orange lights used to be mounted on the side of the post and looked like a big orange tic-tac. Now they have been replaced with the new light sticks that are brighter and placed on top of the light at the top of the post. Of course, who knows if the call box actually works, but that's what makes it fun!

(actually, I think the city spent a lot of money a while ago restoring them and making sure they all worked.)