Residents of Spring Hill, FL have said they are enthusiastic about fiber optic connectivity, but they are far less pleased with the steps that it is taking them to get there. Installing the new system involves lots of digging and cabling, and WTSP-TV reports that Hernando County officials have fielded numerous complaints about the process.
“We want to keep our quiet, pristine neighborhood as it is,” said Spring Hill neighbor, Mark Hahn. “You can see all the holes that they put throughout my property. And they dug it up. This has been dug up three times.”
“How would you like it?” agreed aggrieved fellow resident, Donna Berardo, in reference to the construction noise. “Put one in front of your house. See what happens.”
Open Infra is the company managing the fiber optic installation and spokesperson Daniel Karn acknowledges that the company is aware of the disruption that occurs while the cable is being laid. “If that [yard] is getting dug up and you’re like, ‘I didn’t order anything’, then you might get a little bit angry and obviously we don’t want that,” stated Karn, stressing that Open Infra strove to be a responsible corporate neighbor. “Please call us and we will come out and fix it.”
County Commissioner John Allocco noted that officials have been trying to work with Open Infra on behalf of residents who are upset with the noise, the mess, and the lack of speed in completing the fiber optic installation project. Because Open Infra has the proper permits, Allocco said that the county is limited in what it can do. “We are trying to find out how we can make them be better. Better partners,” he told WTSP-TV.
“I think they need to get somebody to come out here and go through these neighborhoods and look and see where they can move these things. Where they’re not going to be an eyesore,” said Hahn. “Where it’s not going to look like our neighborhood has been commercialized.” He added that his persistent complaints have netted results as he was told that the box in front of his house would be moved to a less obtrusive location.
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