Squadron phone & internet

[okeecap]

Is there any thing out there preventing a CAP squadron from obtaining internet service from a service provider.  The reason I paired the question with phone service is phone companies offer reduced pricing if you get phone service as well.  I would assume this could be considered a reoccurring expense, but when I bring this up with other members they tend to want to find a Jerry rigged way to get free internet that probably has cost more over the years then just signing up for the service. :clap:

[a2capt]

Easy Peasy.
Someone order it, and pay the bill, or send the bill to Wing Banker with the form each month..

[krnlpanick]

If you have squadron funds to cover it then just order away - if you want to go to the group or wing then you will have to go through group/wing logistics I would think - at least that is where I would start.

[arajca]

Actually, you'd need to start with group/wing IT.

If the unit has the funds and the bill is the same each month, they can set up a recurring payment with wing finance so they don't have to send the bill in each month.

[a2capt]

Why would Group/Wing IT need to get involved?

Want service? Figure out how it's 'going to be paid for. Order it.

(Presuming that it's an option, with the units lease on the meeting place)

[arajca]

It was in response to contacting Logistics, not necessarily in general, although my wing IT has said they'll help any unit that wants internet at their meeting place.

[okeecap]

Thank you.

[A.Member]

If you don't want to go through Wing, it will have to be set up as someone's individual account.  Only the Wing CC can enter into contracts for CAP.

[SARDOC]

I just changed the Squadron Phone number to a google voice number.  It's free and rings directly to my cell phone.

When I'm not available I can program it to ring to someone else's number if I need to.

[wuzafuzz]

I just changed the Squadron Phone number to a google voice number.  It's free and rings directly to my cell phone.

When I'm not available I can program it to ring to someone else's number if I need to.

Google Voice rocks.  I use it to ring all my phones at once during the work week, and drop my work phone nights and weekends.  It's easy to add and drop additional numbers, so it could be useful for ICP's.  Don't have a hard phone?  No problem, make it ring the cell phones for appropriate mission base folks.  Remove them when needed.

[JeffDG]

I just changed the Squadron Phone number to a google voice number.  It's free and rings directly to my cell phone.

When I'm not available I can program it to ring to someone else's number if I need to.

For that matter, set it to ring multiple people right away...CC/CD/etc.  Whoever answers first gets the call!

[NIN]

Except when GV isn't available in your area...

[wuzafuzz]

Except when GV isn't available in your area...

Is it that GV doesn't have numbers in your area code, or is it completely unavailable for some reason?  I didn't realize it isn't available everywhere in the U.S.  Bummer.

[wuzafuzz]

Speaking of Internet, what are squadrons without permanent meeting places doing for Internet connectivity?  My squadron is one of the largest in the country, but without a permanent meeting place we depend on members' smart phones, air cards, etc for our connection to The Matrix.  That can be a real stinker at SAREX's and missions.

[NIN]

Except when GV isn't available in your area...

Is it that GV doesn't have numbers in your area code, or is it completely unavailable for some reason?  I didn't realize it isn't available everywhere in the U.S.  Bummer.

Nope. My entire state is without GV due to having no GV #s in this area code.  I have a GV # from an adjoining state. 

[Eclipse]

Speaking of Internet, what are squadrons without permanent meeting places doing for Internet connectivity?  My squadron is one of the largest in the country, but without a permanent meeting place we depend on members' smart phones, air cards, etc for our connection to The Matrix.  That can be a real stinker at SAREX's and missions.

I'm not sure I understand why a mission is different then a meeting in this regard, or why air cards and phones are a bad idea.  In a lot of cases the speeds are faster through a 4G phone then a wired DSL connection.  We've run the operations branches for the last several Evals from a single
Clearspot.

I agree GV rocks, but there are alternatives when its not available.  Does anyone even notice or care about area codes anymore?

[JeffDG]

Does anyone even notice or care about area codes anymore?

[a2capt]

With all the bundling of features, the porting of numbers, area code overlays, suburbs having different area codes, the area code has just become another three digits.

"Long Distance" charges? Pah. Where there is no area code split or overlay, you may find no GV and similar services offering numbers, so what. Who actually pays long distance anymore? Very few. The few that do, I wouldn't even be surprised if statistically, they use the phone even less an are not involved in much dealing outside of their locality.

Hardly even that, it wouldn't be the first time they had to dial somewhere else to call someone.

It's also easier to publish a GV number and direct it where it needs to go, vs. putting ones own actual mobile number on a list. Granted, when you call outward the caller ID will reveal your number unless you take measures to call via the GV pipe or block your ID.  But.. when you're done with that activity, you can cancel the call routing and move on.

Like I setup for an encampment last year, a "vanity" number that included the wing abbreviation and that routed calls to us, on call, so that parents could get in contact with a cadet in an emergency, and we could share the duty much like CQ, and when it was done, it all goes away.

Even if you have a physical phone installed, or dedicated. Use a GV for the published number and you can be more flexible.

The only thing I really wish is that there was a way do distinquish the incoming calls on the GV number, so you know the source. You can make the caller ID show you either the caller or your GV #, but if you want to see who's actually calling..  Perhaps if the "name" part of it would show "Google Voice" and the the actual number...

Though most cell phones and fewer landline phones don't seem to support the name portion of the ID. Especially cordless handsets.

[Eclipse]

We have a fair number of units doing this for their "contact" number. 
The transcribed emails from voice messages are nice as well.  I use that as my main voice may on my cell phone, and my GV number.

I'll generally use my GV number for missions - that way, even if cell service is down, I still get an email notification that I missed a call,
and can even return it through my PC.  Its not uncommon to be in a hangar, 3rd floor basement, or rural area where the cell sites don't
connect, but the land-line internet is still working.

[wuzafuzz]

Speaking of Internet, what are squadrons without permanent meeting places doing for Internet connectivity?  My squadron is one of the largest in the country, but without a permanent meeting place we depend on members' smart phones, air cards, etc for our connection to The Matrix.  That can be a real stinker at SAREX's and missions.

I'm not sure I understand why a mission is different then a meeting in this regard, or why air cards and phones are a bad idea.  In a lot of cases the speeds are faster through a 4G phone then a wired DSL connection.  We've run the operations branches for the last several Evals from a single
Clearspot.

In my case our meeting place is relatively stable, but is located on a university campus with no airport nearby.  Of course they mission planners prefer to run missions and exercises out of airports.  Being gypsies we sometimes discover we are running a mission or eval out of a facility with lousy cell service.  Then there are the times we run out of a loaned building on an AFB, only to discover the building is a Faraday cage.  Even if we operate in a place with good data coverage, the members with wireless hotspots don't always share.  Or they go home.  A more reliable solution is a goal of mine.

So, I'm curious if anyone runs squadron owned air cards. or even fancier connections.  I've thought of various solutions like running an air card on a mast feeding a router, a wipipe, or something similar.  Some folks might be running long distance WiFi shots.  Anything that helps in weak coverage areas.