This has nothing to do with net neutrality, but the inappropriate phone contract County Fire chose with Verizon. Verizon, as you would expect, handled this badly, becuase it is Verizon. But really, wtf was Santa Clara doing buying a contract for emergency services that included throttling after a certain bandwidth was used?
So to cover up its mistake, County Fire has sent out the distraction squirrel of net neutrality. The political operatives in charge must think the average Californian is an idiot.
It clearly states that the FD had an unlimited plan... This is the classic "throttling" that these carriers throw in at a certain use threshold, even after selling a plan that claims unlimited.
Despite paying for unlimited data, the Santa Clara County Fire
Department's data was throttled by Verizon Wireless, even as the
department fought the Mendocino Complex fire earlier this month.
Then the FD contacted Verizon they still kept throttling... I agree that it's not necessarily a NN issue, I think it's just sloppy robotic workers on the phone for Verizon with no problem solving skills, or understanding of what they were dealing with.
why does a fire department needs to use a mobile contract like everyone else? Are there no dedicated emergency services communication channels in the US?
There are, but radios are more range limited particularly with the rough terrain around Mendocino.
Cellular systems allow them to distribute maps and other imagery between the main HQ, the HQ vehicle, and and out to firefighting teams.
This really need to be far, far more clear on so called Unlimited. It's Unlimited all right until you hit their CAP and then they throttle you down speed wise a whole lot. You're still getting data, so it is unlimited, but it's so slow to be almost useless.
why does a fire department needs to use a mobile contract like everyone else? Are there no dedicated emergency services communication channels in the US?
There are, but radios are more range limited particularly with the rough terrain around Mendocino.
Cellular systems allow them to distribute maps and other imagery between the main HQ, the HQ vehicle, and and out to firefighting teams.
I was a wildland firefighter for the BLM decades ago, and one of my friends was on a Type 1 overhead team up until he retired. He mentioned that they can get a portable cell base station(s) placed on a fire, and with satellite uplink, you can have a reasonable facsimile of a cell system pretty much anywhere.
The big deal now is providing realtime thermal imagery to firefighters on the line;
Both are responsible. you can’t rely completely on the internet in emergency situations, you have to have backup plans in place always.
You can't, because then that fire dept will be responsible for that! We can't have that, as Verizon clearly should have given everything they have got, to cover the shortcomings of decisions made by some idiots at the fire department. Shifting blame/responsibility is the way to go, while take the responsibility upon yourself, instead, is a big NO NO!
I also don't get why wouldn't FD talk about throttle-less plans with Verizon BEFORE shit hit the fan. But, in any case, relying on civilian grade network for the means of communications in emergency situations is a terrible idea. Someone will die and idiots will blame Verizon for that (despite the fact that it is in the contract that the connection is NOT guaranteed 100% of the time!).
I blame both Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) and Verizon. SCCFD should have looked for the worst-case-scenario for their data usage and Verizon should have cleared the SCCFD data limits as both a public service and good will service.
On some rare occasions, contracts aren't set in stone. Yeah, the lawyers might think otherwise.
Less blame on verizon, as they did not specifically know who the clients were. It was a single rule that gets applied to everyone. As for SCCFD , that is a different story, as they knew who would be using those data plans.
I’m not sure why more blame on the Fire Department.
Because it was them who bought a regular plan. I bet, Verizon systems do not guarantee communications 100% of the time!
I blame both Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) and Verizon. SCCFD should have looked for the worst-case-scenario for their data usage and Verizon should have cleared the SCCFD data limits as both a public service and good will service.
On some rare occasions, contracts aren't set in stone. Yeah, the lawyers might think otherwise.
Less blame on verizon, as they did not specifically know who the clients were. It was a single rule that gets applied to everyone. As for SCCFD , that is a different story, as they knew who would be using those data plans.
I’m not sure why more blame on the Fire Department.
Because it was them who bought a regular plan. I bet, Verizon systems do not guarantee communications 100% of the time!
That's one of the reasons why we need to make the for-profits regulated carriers: So, while we provide them access to our public air waves for their fun & profit, they also serve the public who makes their business possible.
The reality is the FD uses these phones for non-work related email, surfing and other non-essential activities, probably including porn. Were Verizon to publish a list of all the sites accessed by the FD we would find out where all of their data went.
The citizebs shoukd demsnd a list of sites and services be published each month and each phone holder be held accountable. I can guarantee more Facebook, Twitter usage than official business. I’ll even bet the porn usage right up there with official business. A firehouse is a fraternity house with the only difference being they are paid.
The reality is the FD uses these phones for non-work related email, surfing and other non-essential activities, probably including porn. Were Verizon to publish a list of all the sites accessed by the FD we would find out where all of their data went.
The citizebs shoukd demsnd a list of sites and services be published each month and each phone holder be held accountable. I can guarantee more Facebook, Twitter usage than official business. I’ll even bet the porn usage right up there with official business. A firehouse is a fraternity house with the only difference being they are paid.
LOL... I think there may be a few more differences than that!
This really need to be far, far more clear on so called Unlimited. It's Unlimited all right until you hit their CAP and then they throttle you down speed wise a whole lot. You're still getting data, so it is unlimited, but it's so slow to be almost useless.
It is and has always been about the amount of data. Not the speeds. Been that way for years. But really that’s moot. They should have known that the account belonged to a fire department and flagged it for no throttling or at least not down to 1/200th of the normal speed as has been reported. Going down to 75% would have still given them the satisfaction of sticking it to a customer and not been so low that it might have cost lives or unnecessary loss of property
The reality is the FD uses these phones for non-work related email, surfing and other non-essential activities, probably including porn. Were Verizon to publish a list of all the sites accessed by the FD we would find out where all of their data went.
Do a little research. It was not about phone or phones but a communication truck used only for actual emergencies
The reality is the FD uses these phones for non-work related email, surfing and other non-essential activities, probably including porn. Were Verizon to publish a list of all the sites accessed by the FD we would find out where all of their data went.
The citizebs shoukd demsnd a list of sites and services be published each month and each phone holder be held accountable. I can guarantee more Facebook, Twitter usage than official business. I’ll even bet the porn usage right up there with official business. A firehouse is a fraternity house with the only difference being they are paid.
Not related to net neutrality whatever the submitted brief. Customer service contracts have limits and consequences for exceeding those limits extending way before and beyond net neutrality.
“Verizon also noted that the fire department purchased a data service plan that is slowed down after a data usage threshold is reached.”
but it is related to lack of FCC oversight of “unlimited plans” and net neutrality because the ending of NN was suppose to bring an expansion of corporate services and unleash innovation rhat would benefit the consumer.
Comments
Cellular systems allow them to distribute maps and other imagery between the main HQ, the HQ vehicle, and and out to firefighting teams.
The big deal now is providing realtime thermal imagery to firefighters on the line;
http://wildfiretoday.com/2018/08/15/drone-flying-at-night-detects-spot-fire/
I also don't get why wouldn't FD talk about throttle-less plans with Verizon BEFORE shit hit the fan. But, in any case, relying on civilian grade network for the means of communications in emergency situations is a terrible idea. Someone will die and idiots will blame Verizon for that (despite the fact that it is in the contract that the connection is NOT guaranteed 100% of the time!).
The citizebs shoukd demsnd a list of sites and services be published each month and each phone holder be held accountable. I can guarantee more Facebook, Twitter usage than official business. I’ll even bet the porn usage right up there with official business. A firehouse is a fraternity house with the only difference being they are paid.
i am still waiting...