Posts popping up

[#1]

Driving through Westgate-on-Sea yesterday I noticed a lot of new posts like the one in the picture. They seemed to be next to new cabinets and there was signs that Virgin Media were about to lay cables. Are the two things connected?

[#2]

I would hazard a guess that they were, @Mav.

[#3]

But what purpose do they serve?

[#4]

There's a very similar slightly larger one on a main road here.

That one is a "breather" for the sewer mains beneath it.

[#5]

They are mobile phone masts with aerials in the bulge at the top.

[#6]

They're not very mobile if concreted down.  

[#7]

Definitely mobile phone masts

http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/news/2007/phone-mast-19-02-07.shtml

[#8]

Kinda thought phone mast but hadn't seen one like that before and I am sure they weren't there a month or so ago when I drove down the same road.

Edit: They are ugly!

[#9]

Why can't they just put up a few air baloons a few thousand miles up which would give coverage to the whole country rather than sticking these phone masts all over the place yet still having 'blind spots' .?

[#10]

The vacuum of Space starts 60 miles up so balloons might be a problem but satellites maybe.

[#11]

I am sure it is a phone mast. It looks very similar to the one next to my street, and for all people's interest I will post a photo of mine shortly. I know you can't all wait

Only reason I suspect this, is that I have full reception on my mobile at home (I am on EE), and the cabinet has a T-Mobile sticker on it (so EE now).

[#12]

Ok am I sure it used to look like that but seems to have changed now. Mine just looks like a woodern pole now with nothing connected to it. Strange.
Noticed the ground looks to be new, so maybe it has been changed.

[#13]

If they keep popping up,... then you need to get another  "pop up blocker" ...

[#14]

Oh dear @shutter, ba boom tish.
We have a comedian on the forums 

[#15]

---

@gleneagles wrote:

Why can't they just put up a few air baloons a few thousand miles up which would give coverage to the whole country rather than sticking these phone masts all over the place yet still having 'blind spots' .?

Google's been developing high altitude balloons that are placed in the stratosphere to do just that for several years with its 'Project Loon'. 

They'vej just been given permission to use them to provide emergency coverage over Puerto Rico. 

Also EE as been playing with tethered blimps to provide rural, emergency and temporary courage for festivals etc.