re: Verizon throttled fire department’s “unlimited” data during Calif. wildfire

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Firefighters should be fighting fires not playing on the internet

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I love you

Totally dependent on which technology the phone is using.

If they still were getting LTE, more than likely they were using VoLTE (Voice over LTE) which has a QoS of 1 (nothing better) and uses data.

If they are using WCDMA(3G), which I highly doubt now, its still using data but in small increments. Anything you send out that's not bluetooth uses "data" per say. ISP's just classify it in different buckets so that their PCR-F can charge each account correctly.

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Forgive me if I dont believe the FD is paying $200k/yr on wireless

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You not believing does not mean they don't pay a lot of money every year for wireless services. My total costs last year were $24k just for service. That does not count hardware.

Staying connected is a very real and very sizeable cost for businesses.

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We’re they all using group me or some other third party app to communicate?

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From their website:

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Beginning in December of 2014 the department will start to replace the Panasonic Toughbook mobile data computers (MDCs) with Apple iPads. Each emergency response vehicle will have two iPads. One iPad will be mounted in the rig and will function primarily for mobile mapping, call routing, and vehicle status communications. This iPad will utilize the MARVLIS for iOS application, which was developed by Bradshaw Consulting Services. The second iPad will be used for ! ! 43 ! electronic Patient Care Reports (ePCRs) using EMS Field Bridge by ImageTrend. It will also be used to access pre - plans and data through a cloud - based GIS platform, which is referred to internally as Integrated Mapping and Analysis Portal (iMap). Intterra Group created this portal and it is com prised of several modules. The command and control view, a situation and status view, and an analytics view module. In addition the program includes a home wildfire risk view that allows the department to work with the community while doing wildland urba n interface inspections to assign parcel based risk assessment centered on building construction, vegetation and other factors that influence wildfire. The pre - plan view gives the department the ability to create, edit and view pre - fire site plans to assi st with strategies and tactical decision - making. Finally the damage assessment tool will enable the department to do parcel based damage assessment after a large - scale disaster. This tool can be utilized by CERT members to expedite the data collection pr ocess, which will help direct resources quickly and efficiently.

Both iPads will receive their data connection from another component on the vehicles called the InMotion O nboard Mobile Gateway (oMG). The oMG has a Verizon card installed for fast LTE data speeds. It has a built in GPS for automated vehicle location (AVL) information. It also collects data from the rig using the vehicle telemetry bus. The iPads have been configured using the Cisco Meraki M obile D ata M anagement (MDM) software. This allow s the department to push updates and installs to all the iPads automatically. The project timeline for completion is August 201

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Verizon makes it crystal clear that there are 2 Tiers to Unlimited Plans. It's not a secret and government shouldn't be except.

The OT full of non ballers this AM and last night. The whole site must be collectively upset about Trump except for maybe around 4 posters

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I genuinely curious how throttling data prevents the necessary communications within a department. I didn’t think phone calls or text messages used data.

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My thought too, they could send out alerts without increased bandwidth.

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Information Technology staff communicated directly with Verizon via email

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I deal with VPs of IT all the time via email. The problem is there different type of support needs, and levels. If you get to me then there is most likely a project or authorization need. Mostly sent my way by their Acct Mgt team to start. Thats where something like this should have started not with the freaking hotline. Thats for general acct needs that some dot indian is during.

Verizon, and others just need a better support plan instead of funneling it all, especially business/govt, plans thru the basic bull shite for the personal plan accts.

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Corporate policy > Public Safety

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Why do you hate capitalism?

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Why do you hate capitalism?

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I dont. I think "corp policy"is a nice open ended word that could be prone to a lot of corruption and in this case is being used as a legal shield for a huge frick up.