Electronics usage during plebe year.

ajyeld2017

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
16
So I saw this question in the USAFA Threads and I was wondering "What is the policy of electronics for plebes? Are IPADs and/or personal laptops allowed?" And what cell phone carrier/plan works the best for any current or previous cadets on this forum?
 
General theme- no electronics until A-week, and then it will vary by company. Cell rules relaxed lately since they did away with the landlines in the rooms.

Cell- ATT, Verizon, and Sprint all work more or less in the main areas. And will all three have holes in certain barracks/spots.

Bring yours to R-day in something that will survive storage, as you'll want it after marchback when allowed. Can't have it during CBT, but very handy after, especially during reorgy.

The coverage situation has improved somewhat this year, but it's still common to have to find the magic spot in your room, etc. Some barracks have repeaters from the different vendors, but it can vary by floor, even room. Thick granite walls and UHF radio waves do not play well together!

Beyond that it does not matter much even in the Academic year, as plebes can't use cells until you get into areas where plebe restrictions do not apply. (More or less away from the Barracks, plain, academic area, messhall, etc)

And the grey trousers do not have pockets that carry them well, so most cadets we know/knew did not bother carrying them as plebes except for weekends & trip sections.

Head much off post and it's very spotty, but that largely won't be an issue till CFT at Buckner. But even there most cadets can find coverage spots.

Personal laptops- Not advised or needed. Many threads on this.

Ipads/tablets- Company policy varies, but some have them, and the never ending rumors about using for textbooks are very strong this year.

Todate, No wireless in barracks / main campus, so tables are not very useful unless you have one with a mobile data plan. Or a phone with a hotspot.

Smartphones seem to be the norm, and seems to make up for not having widespread wireless coverage.

Most appointees worry too much about electronics other than cell phones. Personal laptops, gaming computers, xboxes, etc are really not advised till later years and most get by without them. If you see the situation change while you are there, you can have it shipped. And you'll find someone who has xbox or similar. You'll figure it out.
 
Thank you very much hawk and armystrong, I was going to try and buy my own plan for when i get to the academy and was wondering which carrier was best but it seems from hawk that ATT, Sprint and Verizon have about the same coverage up there so now it might just be up to personal choice.
 
was wondering which carrier was best but it seems from hawk that ATT, Sprint and Verizon have about the same coverage up there so now it might just be up to personal choice.

DS found Sprint worked OK on post in the main campus area, but had holes off post. Now on Verizon... slightly better main campus coverage, better out toward Buckner. Some areas up there have holes for all three if you leave the main roads. (Like just S of Highland Falls)

Sprint will roam to Verizon, and vice versa, but the problem is when you are 1 bar it will drop calls. But still a bit of advantage with that redundancy, just less likely to get in an outright hole.

Supposedly only ATT had repeaters in the barracks in 2011, but cadets we know still had problems with ATT. Last year when the landlines were pulled there was a major improvement in all three. Don't know if they added repeaters, towers, or what, but they did something.

One thing to consider is doing a no-contract plan with the carrier you think you want to use. Once you are sure you like it, then you can commit with the same carrier for that fancy phone with the 2yr contract.

Also, pack your phone well if in a duffle for beast or other training. They get thrown, stacked, etc. DS had to live with a cracked screen for several months, then a black screen for a while until he could upgrade.
 
DO NOT BRING AT&T TO WP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Reception here is terrible!
 
BLUF: if you can get something over ATT, I just suggest go for it...

I have AT&T on my iPad and have full 3G in my room and most academic buildings...

I'm just warning the OP. Had one too many problems with it. For the plebe retreat, I had to climb a HILL to get 1 bar (sometimes)! Several times the my iPhone just loses connection here in garrison.

Anyways... I believe you might be better off with Verizon. Whenever I have issues with my ATT, the guys with Verizon don't.
 
And the grey trousers do not have pockets that carry them well, so most cadets we know/knew did not bother carrying them as plebes except for weekends & trip sections.

I remember at SLS some of the cadre kept their phones in their hat, it seemed silly but what else can one do? hahaha.
 
Beyond that it does not matter much even in the Academic year, as plebes can't use cells until you get into areas where plebe restrictions do not apply. (More or less away from the Barracks, plain, academic area, messhall, etc)

So, depending on company we are not allowed to have phones in our rooms or is it a campus wide rule? Sorry for not following.
 
So, depending on company we are not allowed to have phones in our rooms or is it a campus wide rule? Sorry for not following.

no, you are allowed to have your phone in your room after CBT. You cannot have your phone out in the Messhall, while walking outside, or in academic buildings.
 
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