Township ordinance forces AT&T into lawsuit

We do not hide our contempt for AT&T. Whether it’s a slow network, bad customer service, or unconscionable treatment of some subscribers, they’ve just rubbed us the wrong way — you should have seen us when it was announced that they’d be the exclusive iPhone provider. However, we have some good news on the company today. Of course, the crux of it is self-interest (AT&T’s self, not ourself). But in the end, this one boils down to consumer benefit. We’ve heard some people rave about AT&T’s excellent coverage, and it confuses us. The reason, probably, is that AT&T’s service is, in fact, pretty good in some areas. This is not true at all for the New York Metro area. So when we hear a story of AT&T attempting to build more towers in the area, we listen. The Township of Wayne, NJ has other plans, however. They’ve denied AT&T the right to build 12 wireless towers, and the company is now taking the township to court. Wayne claims that it issued a denial for AT&T because they “did not satisfy conditions in a township ordinance regulation wireless telecommunications facilities.” This has Cingular livid, and in the case they are asking for the decision to be ruled as “arbitrary and capricious.” Further, they are seeking to abolish the township’s wireless ordinance, saying it violates the Telecommunications Act of 1996. AT&T is also calling shenanigans on a recent bid for a cell tower, which was won by Sprint. They feel that this is further proof that they are being discriminated against. We actually back AT&T on this one, because they certainly need more cell towers in the area. However, we’re not so pleased with this line: “…and we would camouflage the antennae.” Please don’t. Apparently, New Jersey is one of, if not the, only state(s) to use camouflaged cell towers. Sorry, but it’s ugly and in reality, does not camouflage the tower at all. “Tree, tree, enormous metal tree with sparse leaves, tree, tree…” [North Jersey Media Group]]]>