At the corner of Rowlett Road and Almeda Genoa in southeast Houston, what used to be a utility box is now a mess of exposed wires and busted electronics, neighbors say. The debris, partly shielded by a makeshift wooden frame and a tarp, sits close to the sidewalk and nearby yards. Residents say the damaged gear has been sitting there for weeks and worry kids or anyone walking by could get hurt.
Neighbors said that the metal cabinet was torn open and its internal components scattered along the roadside. Small yellow tags on several cables carry the AT&T name, according to abc13. The station reports that a wooden frame and tarp were later put up around the pile while residents wait for someone to haul it away. ABC13 says it reached out to AT&T about the damage and is waiting for the company to respond.
Neighbors Say It Has Looked Like This for Months
“Let's keep our streets safe so our kids can be able to wake up, go to school, and make it home to us, parents. We worry about stuff like that,” resident Cheyenne Hines told ABC13. Another neighbor, Jaquelin Rojas, recalled seeing the cabinet intact one day and gone the next, leaving people on the block guessing whether a crash, vandalism, or planned work caused the destruction. With recent heavy rain soaking the area, residents say the bare wiring feels even more unnerving.
Who to Call If You Spot a Hazard
If the wires appear live or pose an immediate risk, stay at least 35 feet away and call 911 right away. For anything involving power lines or electrical equipment, CenterPoint Energy asks residents to report outages or downed wires through its online outage reporting portal, according to CenterPoint Energy. For non-emergency problems that still need attention, Houston's 311 system and the city's Office of Regulatory Affairs can log service requests and coordinate with the appropriate utilities, according to the City of Houston.
Why Old Telecom Gear Sometimes Lingers
Telecom companies are in the middle of shifting customers off old copper phone lines and onto fiber or other digital services, a process that involves turning off and removing legacy cabinets and pedestals. AT&T's support materials describe the company’s ongoing move from copper to fiber, while industry coverage notes that AT&T recently sought FCC approval to shut down large portions of its remaining copper network, which can leave older gear sitting roadside waiting for removal. That transition work helps explain how a busted cabinet can sit by the curb for an extended stretch. (AT&T; Telecom Review Americas).
How Neighbors Can Push for Cleanup
Residents can document the problem by taking photos, noting the exact location, and submitting a report through Houston 311 so the city can open and route a service request (Houston 311). If there is any chance the wires are live, call 911 and contact CenterPoint’s outage line as well. For equipment that appears to belong to a phone or internet provider, neighbors can also reach out to AT&T customer support so the company can confirm ownership and schedule removal. Each formal complaint creates a paper trail that can help nudge utilities or city departments to move the repair and cleanup higher up the list.
