New Hampshire Underground

New Hampshire Underground => Underground Projects => Topic started by: error on August 23, 2007, 11:00 PM NHFT

Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 23, 2007, 11:00 PM NHFT
That reminds me, I'm going to be moving the Porcupine 411 mailing list to a new server tomorrow night, so please try not to get into too much trouble then. :)
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 28, 2007, 03:31 PM NHFT
Pursuant to discussions with some people who raised the concern that Porc-411 might not be fast enough for certain situations calling for rapid response, I've secured a toll-free number for a possible Porcupine 911 project.

The way I envision this right now is that when someone calls the number it will route the call to one or more people who have agreed to be "dispatchers" for the system. In order to provide a rapid enough response the number would need to be staffed with live operators as much as possible and preferably 24x7.

This doesn't mean that you have to sit there and do nothing waiting for the phone to ring, considering that most of the time it will not. For those who want to, it merely means you need to have a phone line where you can be reached immediately at whatever time of day you think is appropriate and at times of day when you can take meaningful action on behalf of whoever calls in.

If you want to man the phone lines, please send me a PM with your phone number and the times of day (and days of week) you would be willing to accept calls. Thanks!

P.S. The number (which does nothing right now, but you want to make a note of it anyway) is toll-free 1-866-603-0911.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: d_goddard on August 28, 2007, 03:38 PM NHFT
Quote from: Beavis on August 28, 2007, 03:31 PM NHFT
people who have agreed to be "dispatchers" for the system.
...
1-866-603-0911.
Having real, live "dispatchers" is brilliant, as is the super-easy-to-remember toll-free numbers.
Well done x 2
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 28, 2007, 04:18 PM NHFT
Quote from: d_goddard on August 28, 2007, 03:38 PM NHFT
Having real, live "dispatchers" is brilliant, as is the super-easy-to-remember toll-free numbers.
Well done x 2

Thanks! So, what time of day do you want to help out? ;)
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: d_goddard on August 28, 2007, 08:06 PM NHFT
Quote from: Beavis on August 28, 2007, 04:18 PM NHFT
Quote from: d_goddard on August 28, 2007, 03:38 PM NHFT
Having real, live "dispatchers" is brilliant, as is the super-easy-to-remember toll-free numbers.
Well done x 2

Thanks! So, what time of day do you want to help out? ;)
I can't help with this one. Between the State House, the Toddler, and the insane Job, my schedule is too complex. I can't commit to any particular day or timeslot.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: NC2NH on August 28, 2007, 08:09 PM NHFT
Quote from: Beavis on August 28, 2007, 03:31 PM NHFT1-866-603-0911

Beavis gets cool phone numbers.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Insurgent on August 28, 2007, 09:40 PM NHFT
The company who employs me uses an answering service to handle their after-hour calls. A live operator answers the call, takes a message and then pages the appropriate on-call tech. Of course this service costs $  :-\ If folks wanted this phone system to be a reliable service, a service might be the way to go.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 28, 2007, 11:51 PM NHFT
I'm already paying for Porc-411 and now Porc-911 (which may be even more expensive since I have to pay per minute for it). I'm not springing for an answering service.

Quote from: Hollywood on August 28, 2007, 08:09 PM NHFT
Beavis gets cool phone numbers.

I do what I can.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Kat Kanning on August 29, 2007, 03:05 AM NHFT
Very cool, Beavis.  Right now we don't have any phone working  :-\ so can't help out at the moment.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 29, 2007, 03:36 AM NHFT
Quote from: Kat Kanning on August 29, 2007, 03:05 AM NHFT
Very cool, Beavis.  Right now we don't have any phone working  :-\ so can't help out at the moment.

Last I heard, you had two VoIP lines and a shiny new cell phone? ???
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Kat Kanning on August 29, 2007, 03:40 AM NHFT
It's a problem with the high speed internet, not the phone, and the cell phone has no reception most places where we've been spending time.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 29, 2007, 03:48 AM NHFT
Maybe you can lease a bit of your land to the cell phone carriers for a tower.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Russell Kanning on August 29, 2007, 04:53 AM NHFT
What about having the number sent to one person and if it isn't answered after so many rings it moves on to the next?
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Lloyd Danforth on August 29, 2007, 06:50 AM NHFT
Quote from: Beavis on August 29, 2007, 03:48 AM NHFT
Maybe you can lease a bit of your land to the cell phone carriers for a tower.
The tower has been up for years.  I guess they figure it is too early to make money supplying 1100 people with cell service.  It is real hilly in Grafton.  I don't know if that is a factor.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: money dollars on August 29, 2007, 07:17 AM NHFT
Quote from: Kat Kanning on August 29, 2007, 03:40 AM NHFT
It's a problem with the high speed internet, not the phone, and the cell phone has no reception most places where we've been spending time.
Welcome to Grafton. That is a feature, not a problem.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on August 29, 2007, 07:18 AM NHFT
Quote from: Russell Kanning on August 29, 2007, 04:53 AM NHFT
What about having the number sent to one person and if it isn't answered after so many rings it moves on to the next?

It will work similarly to this, if there's more than one person covering a given time slot, but I'm not going to send a call to someone unwilling to accept it.

Quote from: Lloyd  Danforth on August 29, 2007, 06:50 AM NHFT
The tower has been up for years.  I guess they figure it is too early to make money supplying 1100 people with cell service.  It is real hilly in Grafton.  I don't know if that is a factor.

Ideally the tower should be the tallest structure around on the tallest hill around. And, of course, the carriers should actually have working antennas on it. For instance there was a really nice tower up on top of one of the hills at Gunstock, and reception throughout the site was great -- unless you had AT&T (formerly Cingular), which wasn't on the tower at all. Then you were roaming or had no service at all.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: money dollars on August 29, 2007, 07:22 AM NHFT
Quote from: Lloyd  Danforth on August 29, 2007, 06:50 AM NHFT
Quote from: Beavis on August 29, 2007, 03:48 AM NHFT
Maybe you can lease a bit of your land to the cell phone carriers for a tower.
The tower has been up for years. 
Didn't Bob Hull buy the property(IIRC, the old McIntyer place)?

I think he renamed the dirveway to Liberty Lane. Doesn't he live there?
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: d_goddard on August 30, 2007, 08:46 PM NHFT
Quote from: money dollars on August 29, 2007, 07:17 AM NHFT
Quote from: Kat Kanning on August 29, 2007, 03:40 AM NHFT
It's a problem with the high speed internet, not the phone, and the cell phone has no reception most places where we've been spending time.
Welcome to Grafton. That is a feature, not a problem.
Or an entrepreneurial opportunity...
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Dave Ridley on September 07, 2007, 02:16 PM NHFT
i think a rapidly distributed recording may be better than a live operator for these reasons

1) you get thru more immediately
2) More people hear the original message
3) there is an exact record of your message rather than someone just hearing it and writing it.
4) Its more decentralized

Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on September 08, 2007, 02:52 AM NHFT
Live calls can also be recorded and distributed if need be.
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Evenstar on November 02, 2007, 02:13 PM NHFT
I'm currently living in the unfree state of Virginia, but I have Vonnage (so free long distance) and tend to stay up late.  Not sure if you're still toying with the 911 live operate idea, but I guess I'm willing to help out if it's needed.  I'd certainly need more information, like who in the Shire to call if I were to get an incoming call and the like.  :)

I love this idea and have noted both numbers for the future (with an asterisk next to the 911 that it may not be active at the moment).
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: Russell Kanning on December 30, 2007, 09:22 AM NHFT
you can ask to join the phone list

many of us have free long distance and if we have enough backups/coverage ... maybe we can cover the whole day
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: error on December 30, 2007, 04:26 PM NHFT
I've still got the number and it's active, though there hasn't been as much interest as I would have liked from people willing to answer it. Send me a PM and let me know if you are willing. Thanks!
Title: Porcupine 911
Post by: srqrebel on December 30, 2007, 09:44 PM NHFT
Quote from: error on December 30, 2007, 04:26 PM NHFT
I've still got the number and it's active, though there hasn't been as much interest as I would have liked from people willing to answer it. Send me a PM and let me know if you are willing. Thanks!

Could you elaborate as to what this is exactly?  Is this like a live version of Porc 411, but using a different number?  If so, how can there be multiple volunteers?  Does each volunteer choose a time slot when they are regularly available to take the calls?