Telecommunications is a relatively clean and discreet industry that creates very few emissions or pollution and uses few non-renewable resources. But it's not to say it has no environmental impact - it has.
Running cables and wires from place to place, or sending signals between towers, dishes and aerials has an impact on the landscape. If you try to route it all underground, that creates an impact too - every time you need to lay or repair a cable.
Choosing the route to lay networks involved a delicate balance between practicality and public attitudes. Obviously for the telephone company the most practical solution was to use the shortest sensible route from A to B. Unfortunately this might involve planting a pole in someone's treasured rose garden - which might not prove acceptable.
The pioneers of the telegraph had an easier task. As the network grew up with the railways, the wires followed the track and later canals and roads. As the network expanded they simply asked permission from landowners and paid a nominal rental fee if necessary. This method was carried over to the early telephone network.
As telephone use grew, it was regarded as something for the whole community and getting permission became more of a formality. However the debate focused on underground or overhead wires. Underground resulted in much higher installation costs - which the customer had to pay - so generally compromises were reached by having overhead poles sensitively located.
As the telephone expanded through the cities, huge steel cage-like structures sprung up on the roofs of telephone exchanges, called derricks.
Because The Post Office owned the underground rights for cables, the telephone companies' big dilemma was where to run the network to connect new subscribers. The only safe place left to them was across the rooftops.
Wires from each subscriber converged at the exchange and there was a massive concentration of lines above the roof. Each one was connected to the derrick, which provided an insulated link from the exchange below. Each derrick was unique and especially tailored to fit the design of the building and, as the popularity of the telephone increased, some rose to be over 30 metres high.
The rampant growth of wires on poles and over roofs presented an ugly eyesore for many of the people living in their shadow. The converging wires on a derrick at an exchange totally altered the view of the skies. However, the cities were going through a period of big change with roads dug up to install tramlines, underground tubes, sewers and telegraph cables and the telephone wires were just one more change to accept.
Some local authorities did object to the telegraph poles and insisted that they were fitted with a finial, an ornamental ball with a spike on top, to make them more attractive to the discerning Victorian eye. Local landowners could refuse to have poles sited on their land. However, the biggest concern was from wires breaking and causing damage or injury and the loudest voices of dissent were raised to ensure safety standards were introduced and kept.
The history of telecommunications has been plagued with tall structures that were condemned as eyesores or dangerous. In the 19th century it was overhead wires and poles that provoked indignation. These days, the concern is about aerial masts and towers.
Aerials are an essential part of any radio-frequency based network and they work best high above the ground where they can 'see' further without being shaded by trees, buildings or folds in the ground.
Broadcast transmitters are usually very tall towers sited on remote, high, open ground to achieve maximum coverage. They use high power to cover wide areas.
Cellular radio transmitters (mobile base stations) cover much smaller areas. To minimise the amount of energy radiated they are located right in the locations they serve - usually built-up areas. They use either short towers or antenna structures on top of buildings, on walls and inside public areas.
Although some people have alleged health risks, there is no conclusive evidence of this and most base stations use extremely low power.
