<p>I know my Plebe-to-be cannot take his cell phone with him and, in, time, they will be eventually allowed to use them.</p>
<p>Question: Which carriers are best to use there? My contract ends in March and I'd like to go ahead and make a decision with more info. about what we'll need there.</p>
<p>Any advice? :D :p</p>
<p>Also, what about PDA's. Do they actually need them? I thought they had everyone else telling them what to do, where to go, and when to be there.</p>
<p>Actually, in the permit to report, or one of the many letters in the spring they will suggest that they do bring their cell phones with them. They will not have them over Plebe summer other than for the three phone calls home. The Cadre will get them all charged up the night before. It does make the calls home much easier if they do not have to share someone elses cell. They will even give you the tentative dates of those calls in that letter.</p>
<p>Most service is ok, I do mean just ok. Bancroft is spotty at best but the yard seems to be ok which is why they all go outside to talk on the phone. Needless to say as the weather has gotten colder the less they will talk for long.</p>
<p>Our company, V........ has served him well, he doesn't seem to think that any others is any better so I would shop price and features.</p>
<p>PDA I would not for exactly what you said they get told where and when and for that matter they don't get to keep their watches either.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>I was thinking of switching to "V" company, anyway.</p>
<p>When are they allowed a watch?</p>
<p>My daughter brought her cell phone, phone charger and watch with her on I-Day knowing that they would be collected from her that day (which they were). Cadre charged her phone and gave it to her to use for the scheduled calls home. Her phone was permanently returned to her just before PPW.</p>
<p>As for the watch, it was returned to her sometime late in Plebe summer. I know she had it when she went to the Orioles game.</p>
<p>They'll need a watch as soon as classes start, however, my son carries his cell phone around and uses that instead.</p>
<p>Don't forget the calculators...they'll need those for the placement tests.</p>
<p>one more thing...you might consider getting your plebe a landline phone during PPW. We've found it's much easier to talk to our Mid when calls us on the traditional phone due to dead areas in the Hall. We've had a personal 1-800 number since the kids where in high school and decided to keep it since the Mids can't make long distance calls out unless they use a phone card.</p>
<p>atrmom-</p>
<p>Excellent information. I guess they'll send what kind of calculator they'll need, right? I'll just send him w/the regular stuff. He can use whatever is appropriate. </p>
<p>Nice of the cadre to charge them up! :p</p>
<p>My information may be old, but here goes.....</p>
<p>For the class of '08, plebes brought their calculator from high school (most had graphing ones) to use for validation tests. They were then issued a more sophisticated one for academic year. (They actually paid for it out of their $2300 initial fee, or the $6000 loan). It came as a package with their computer.</p>
<p>Their room has local telephone service, but no phone. We provided a phone and a prepaid calling card to use for long distance. That worked out fine. He also had a prepaid cell phone to use for emergencies. </p>
<p>In his youngster year, he got his own cell phone and contract in order to begin to build a credit rating. We paid the deposit, which was returned at the conclusion of the first year. He shopped around, and found a carrier that gave him a military discount.</p>
<p>His plan works pretty well in Bancroft, that same V company others have referred to. </p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>CM</p>
<p>Candidatemom,</p>
<p>Oh yes, it helps. I pass this info. on to him and he's keeping track. He also has an account on here, now, since I have ferreted so much good info. here. </p>
<p>Thank you, all, from a very "in the dark" mom!</p>
<p>My son brought his cell phone on I-day too. It was a blessing for us with the 3 phone calls he got. He has the other carrier and we get pretty good reception from his room on most days. He also brought his high school calculator and they issue the designated one at the end of Plebe summer when they get their computers.</p>
<p>cell phone coverge in Bancroft depends on where you are... so far the thorpedo has been in 2 different wings, on 2 different decks, and now in room #4... he has cycled through Sprint (cvw- worked well), verizon (did well too) and now cingular (no problems). Suggest not making any major changes until you get there and see what happens- change service after that if you have to, keeping in mind that rooms will change during plebe summer, and even during plebe year (not for all, but for some).... not sure what happens after that, but I'm sure we will be the last to know! ;)</p>
<p>Of course we're the last to know. We're the 'rents!</p>
<p>I have to either continue my contract with the present carrier or switch to another one that my family (in FL) just happens to be on. Free calls for my 80 year old father; we're switching. Present contract ends 3/4. Boy is not 18, so they won't let him get his own to establish credit. However, I'm hoping once he does, they will.</p>
<p>
[quote]
they don't get to keep their watches either.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>OK, I'll bite. How do they know what time it is? I know there are clocks in the passageways but isn't it important for running, for knowing how long they have on Sunday yard liberty, knowing how long until lights out, etc. </p>
<p>I suppose it must be some sort of control thing but I can't imagine being w/o mine. To this day, I'm obsessed with a watch.</p>
<p>1985-</p>
<p>That seemed to be the whole point of not having a watch over the summer. The cadre could tell us we had 15 minutes for everyone to shower, shave, brush, and get dressed after PEP....I'll be damned if they ever gave us more than 10 minutes though.</p>
<p>It really helped with the time management though. For the few minutes that we had to ourselves, we sure as hell didn't waste it, but got a lot done.</p>
<p>As for cell phones...I get a stead 4-5 bars with C*ngular in the hall. Academic buildings, I get around 2-5, depending on what floor and how close to a window I am...but still manage clear reception.</p>
<p>plebes have no need for knowing the time.... time is a luxury they just don't have! They are told what to do, when to do it, and where to do it- beyond that, there is no need to know.</p>
<p>Their world is upside down. It is even beyond comprehension at times. Time is meaningless as it is not their own.</p>
<p>They will, at some point, be deemed worthy of knowing time.<br>
And the only time (days:hours:minutes) worth knowing is:</p>
<p>Time to Spring Break: 23:23:40<br>
Time to Herndon: 92:15:40
Time to 2010 Commissioning: 1198:16:40 :)</p>
<p>And you can bet there are lots of Mids wishing their time away right now!</p>
<p>Do they take the clocks down from the passageways?</p>
<p>Like USNA1985, I have got to know what time it is, wherever I am.</p>
<p>In my day, no such thing as cell phones. No such thing as PCs. However, watches were definitely "in."</p>
<p>I have heard they take away watches, cell phones, pda's, and that they also remove the clocks from the passageways. Have I been wrongly informed?</p>
<p>I for one would go nuts without a clock in the passageway.</p>