
The NSA’s Spy Hub in New York, Hidden in Plain Sight - jbegley
https://theintercept.com/2016/11/16/the-nsas-spy-hub-in-new-york-hidden-in-plain-sight/
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upofadown
>... 33 Thomas Street is the only location in New York City where AT&T has an
FCC license for satellite earth stations.

That licence is for transmitting (uplinking). You wouldn't normally want to
have a satellite surveillance installation in a place with active
transmitters, even if those transmitters are on bands different than what you
are interested in. You wouldn't want such an installation in a major city
where there could be interference. Since it could be placed pretty much
anywhere you would normally just pick some place out in the country. The
result of that monitoring could then be sent somewhere less remote.

Perhaps the reference is to the monitoring of AT&T satellite traffic that
happens to pass through that particular communications nexus.

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softgrow
The blank building is common globally for its period as they allowed good
temperature control and a lot of telecommunications equipment with 12 foot
high racks and overhead busbars and cabling. However they're terrible places
to inhabit all day long and one building I know has a window put in, bearing
testament to the strong willed manager and their concern for staff. It really
helped make it tolerable.

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tjohns
I've always wondered why telco central offices don't have windows. (I always
assumed it was for security.) Thanks!

