Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan might soon have a free way to call home

[GAP]

Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan might soon have a free way to call home
Saturday, April 26 - 10:05:19 PM Reaon Ford VANCOUVER (NEWS1130)
Article Link

They're laying their lives on the line for their country, they don't need to get hit with huge phone bills to boot. Now, a US charity's plan to set up a satellite link between Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan and their families here at home. The Freedom Calls Foundation was originally created to give US troops in Iraq an alternative to costly communication services provided by military contractors.

The group's Kathryn Hudacek says it's been so successful she now wants to help Canadian soldiers too, "Our foundation does have the authority to provide communications in Afghanistan as well. We just haven't been able to raise the money to get in there and that's my personal goal for 2008, is to build at least two centres in Afghanistan." Hudacek says she'll need about $200,000 in donations to set the centres.

They use a combination of satellite and internet technology to provide soldiers with a free 24/7 link to their families.
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[armyvern]

Hmmm,

I'm pretty sure that I always got free phone calls home (when I had the time to make them!!) from theatre.

I'm also pretty sure that's still the case. 

But, I am a little surprised to find out that this hasn't been the case in the US until recently for their deployed soldiers. 

I can certainly think of better areas within Afghanistan that the funds she raises could be put to better development use.

 

[George Wallace]

Interesting.  Some of the most INSECURE of means to communicate, being offered to Troops in a War Zone.  Sentiment is nice.  Security is a major concern.

 

[PuckChaser]

Interesting.  Some of the most INSECURE of means to communicate, being offered to Troops in a War Zone.  Sentiment is nice.  Security is a major concern.

I think you have to pretty much assume its non-secure anyways, unless you somehow got a cup and a string all the way from your house to theatre. That being said, I don't think the Taliban are going to spend their money on parking a spy satellite behind a communication satellite in space, they probably want to spend their cash on important stuff like shoes. Never can trust those pesky North Koreans or the Chinese not to do it though.

 

[George Wallace]

PuckChaser

What is a Cell Phone or a Satellite Feed in reality?

 

[PuckChaser]

In its base form? Either a wavelength of energy relayed through a complex system of towers and back into the public switched network, or energy in 1s and 0s pointed up, and beamed down to a land-earth station and back into the public network.... There's so many places to hijack a signal, its crazy.

 

[Jammer]

Global Connect services in theatre are non-secure. This is covered in the orientation briefing when you arrive in KAF.

 

[George Wallace]

In its base form? Either a wavelength of energy relayed through a complex system of towers and back into the public switched network, or energy in 1s and 0s pointed up, and beamed down to a land-earth station and back into the public network.... There's so many places to hijack a signal, its crazy.

To the less Tech Savvy;  a radio. 

 

[McG]

It is a nice gesture, even if we do already have an allocation of free phone time (far more than I was ever able to use).

The Freedom Calls Foundation was originally created to give US troops in Iraq an alternative to costly communication services provided by military contractors.

The group's Kathryn Hudacek says ... "Our foundation does have the authority to provide communications in Afghanistan as well. We just haven't been able to raise the money to get in there and that's my personal goal for 2008, is to build at least two centres in Afghanistan."

I suspect this is a service that will also be (maybe primarily) available to the many US service personnel also in Afghanistan.  I'd guess BAF & KAF to be the "two centres."

 

[PuckChaser]

I think I left theatre with over 300 mins left on my phone card. The guys in KAF probably ran through theirs quick, but we always had the sat phone for calls home once every few days.

The Freedom calls thing makes more sense for the American system, since they don't have GC to get free calls like we do.

 

[PMedMoe]

They're laying their lives on the line for their country, they don't need to get hit with huge phone bills to boot.

Either this is another reporter with misinformation (as usual  :) or they are talking about those "few" people who seem to have to call home two or three times a day.  Beleive me, there were people buying calling cards and using them.  I know I gave out loads of my calling minutes to other people.  Just due to the time differences, etc, I didn't call home too often.  Email was easier and I could contact everyone at the same time!

I did call my daughter on her first day of high school and ended up getting cut off after about 10 minutes...

 

[armyvern]

Either this is another reporter with misinformation (as usual  :) or they are talking about those "few" people who seem to have to call home two or three times a day.  Beleive me, there were people buying calling cards and using them.  I know I gave out loads of my calling minutes to other people.  Just due to the time differences, etc, I didn't call home too often.  Email was easier and I could contact everyone at the same time!

I did call my daughter on her first day of high school and ended up getting cut off after about 10 minutes...

Exactly. This persons heart is in the right place, but this is a "free" service which is already available to the Canadian Forces' deployed personnel, and which has been the standard for years now.

 

[muffin]

Sounds like a bit of a scam... asking for $200,000 for something we already have. 

 

[armyvern]

Sounds like a bit of a scam... asking for $200,000 for something we already have. 

I'm not so sure that it's a scam rather than just another "uninformed individual" as to the actualities of soldiering.

(I'll try to refrain from pointing out what Province they're located in, as it really has no bearing on their "heart" being in the right spot)

 

[SigOpDraco]

I think I left theatre with over 300 mins left on my phone card. The guys in KAF probably ran through theirs quick, but we always had the sat phone for calls home once every few days.

The Freedom calls thing makes more sense for the American system, since they don't have GC to get free calls like we do.

It all really depends on your situation, really. I know some people in KAF who go through their minutes almost desperatley. Others, like myself, have nearly a hundred minutes saved up. Kinda depends on your situation. With no one home I really want to discuss in-depth with, I don't phone that often.

Phone cards are around to buy too. Not sure if they're cheap or expensive, but you can get them pretty easy from the PX's.