AT&T's Covert Military Site

Wondering if anyone from NC has any additional info on this communications installation:

www.indyweek.com...

Interesting that these facilities of the past are still "maintained"...

Rather than anything evil, maybe it's just a commuinications bunker ment to allow communications in the event of war/nuclear war.

I think it is interesting that these smaller facilities exist in our back yards across the nation. Everyone is well aware of the larger, more often discussed locales, but these smaller outposts are very intriguing...especially in the middle of nowhere - NC.

Also, the remarks about the continued secrecy is amazing. It's scary that such topics get down-played in such rural communities - what power the government has to keep such things ultra-hush baffles me.

I'm curious as to other locations and what threats or reasoning why locals are so spooked by commenting on these facilities.

Looks to me to be a microwave relay station. Lots of these type of stations dotting the central valley here in california. Ill give the guarded gate seems extreem.

But placing this stuff in bunkers (power companies have alot ofunderground "vaults" is simply good sence. It protects them from natural disasters etc. rioting etc. BTW, ATT has a for real bunker on the east coast (can't remebr off the top ofmy head were) that was like an emergency command post. I would not be surprised if other corporations has some "continuity" underground facilites as well.

Also, cellular relay systems are very robust as they were designed to survive major disasters, nuclear war etc.

have similar facilities.

I know Sprint has a 'bunker' in the suburbs of KC. It's an unmarked earthen facility with blast doors and living quarters for a large staff. Inside it looks like Mission Control with the Dr. Strangelove 'big board'. Facilities like this are required of any telecommunications companies that carry Federal Government traffic, and Sprint has lots of contract with the Feds including the military.

WorldCom/MCI has similar facilities available for Gov't applications. There are 'disaster POP's' around - I can't remember the location on the east coast, but its not in NYC...all of MCI's stuff are in two seperate buildings now (but we lost it in NYC durring last year's blackout).

very interesting...never heard of this place

I've heard of similar telecommunication bunkers in the UK. Manchester Guardian is an underground telephone exchange under the center of Manchester. There are also similar installations in London (Kingsway) and Birmingham (Anchor).

Some very nice old images of the Manchester site here

Mor

I used to work in alot of telecom facilities like that. Not all of them were underground but some definately were. I would be more likely to guess this is just a network site that has over paranoid computer geeks at the helm. Some of these sites I've been in make you get your hand scanned, retina scanned, searched, pat down, bags searched, etc. Its all so someone can house pr0n servers. Overkill yes, but thats probably what it is.

Originally posted by Morwenstow
I've heard of similar telecommunication bunkers in the UK. Manchester Guardian is an underground telephone exchange under the center of Manchester. There are also similar installations in London (Kingsway) and Birmingham (Anchor).

Some very nice old images of the Manchester site here

Mor

I've heard about these too, they were apparentely built during the cold war by BT to protect the communication system in the event of war with the USSR. most are now not used, I think the london one is used for something else now but I can't remember? I'll try and find out and post the result later

Mmmm, the security on the front gate is interesting. A few oddities there.

Some telecom 'PoP's are not secure at all...some just have over-protective security. However, there are still some facilities the gov't uses for COG types of scenarios.

I was involved in a project with a carrier in the metro DC area...you would not believe how protected alot of the fiber routes are.

If memory serves me right, it's a Troposcatter array. It bounces analog signals off of the Troposphere like a rock across water. It's capable of transmitting across thousands of miles. -Muzz

Troposcatter is only effective for voice and low speed packet data. There are still some shielded 'runs' of dedicated copper that is supossedly 'EMP'' resistant. As for the newer fiber runs....they are alot of AT&T/WillTell fiber.

=-Rich

Remember in Red Dawn where the Col. mentions that the Russians started the war by nuking "key centers of communication" and when they ask "like what" he starts naming major cities?

Maybe the government has figured out that if they don't have backups in out of the way places, that a hand full of terrorist strike,s even non-nuclear, could cripple us.

www.abovetopsecret.com...