# Help identify this box

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 11, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840 "2016-02-11T17:49:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AdamF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/adamf/32/6246_2.png) [@AdamF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdamF)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840/1 "2016-02-11T17:49:24Z")

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Please help me identify this box attached to a streetlight in a residential area. It is about 20 cm (8") tall and the bottom “thing” is a green light that turns on intermittently. I have seen it in Calgary.

[http://1drv.ms/1PoVRil](http://1drv.ms/1PoVRil)

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840/2 "2016-02-11T18:11:22Z")

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Is there a solar panel at the top of the light? These systems seem to have panel and battery box:

[http://www.solarstreetlighting.us/Solar\_streetlight\_parking\_lot\_roadway\_lighting.html](http://www.solarstreetlighting.us/Solar_streetlight_parking_lot_roadway_lighting.html)

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**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840/3 "2016-02-11T18:55:37Z")

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One possibility is that they collect electronic utility data. Here is an [article](http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/05/24/street_light_gizmos_what_are_they_.html)about them that I remember reading a while back, although the picture wouldn’t load for me so I’m not sure how similar it is to the one you posted. My city uses this method for water use data but it seems like the ones on our street lamps are smaller than the one in your picture.

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**Author:** ![AdamF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/adamf/32/6246_2.png) [@AdamF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdamF)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840/4 "2016-02-11T19:16:26Z")

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> [@gigi](#):
>
> Is there a solar panel at the top of the light?

No solar panel.

> [@SmellMyWort](#):
>
> One possibility is that they collect electronic utility data.

The box only shows up here and there, not even one per block.

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**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840/5 "2016-02-11T19:21:29Z")

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Does Calgary have Public Wi-Fi?

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**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-identify-this-box/745840/6 "2016-02-12T02:57:49Z")

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[Here](https://www.shaw.ca/wifi/hotspots/) is a map of Shaw’s Go Wifi hotspots. Most are at businesses, but some look like they could be on utility poles.