There's something about apartment buildings that cell phone service (on all carriers!) doesn't like. But being the urban dwellers that we are, we wouldn't leave our concrete tree house for anything. Instead, we'll just use the "Mark the Spot" app to tell one carrier where they need to improve.
"Mark the Spot" (iTunes link) is an official iPhone app from cell carrier AT&T and absolutely free. The app lets you report dropped calls, failed calls, lack of coverage, data failure, and poor voice quality. You can use the iPhone's internal GPS to pinpoint your location and plot exactly where in the world your horrible cell experience happened.
The whole app just makes it easier for AT&T to pinpoint especially problematic areas for reception and, ideally, to get the brains at headquarters working on fixing the poor service areas.
It's sure to be a popular App for our New York City Unplggd readers. Apple admits that the average iPhone in NYC drops 30 percent of calls. Yikes!
(Apartment Image: Flickr user back_garage under license from Creative Commons.)
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Comments (2)
This is fantastic if it really works. hahaha. Somehow it seems a little bit smoke and mirrors but i'll give it a whirl. AT&T reception at my home and pretty much the whole Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley is well, non-existant. Meaning almost all my calls get dropped or fail.
Our own mayor Newsom has an Iphone and moved into the neighborhood and he even complained about it. haha.
impressive lol...
We have Sprint & one day coverage in our old apartment just vanished- literally. 100% chance you'd drop the call if you didn't go to the balcony. I can't complain too much though- we called retentions (we were out of contract) and they sent over an Airrave (free of charge) and gave us a $5 monthly credit for the service. Basically, it locks a GPS signal and then runs through the internet and turns into your own mini cellphone tower! Never a problem again (although it only works in a single location). :)