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External Links | 07 Dec 2009 | Print Printer-Friendly Version of This Article | Comment (7)

Frustrated by iPhone Cell Trouble? Tap to Tell AT&T

by Glenn Fleishman Send Email to Author

AT&T has released a free iPhone app called AT&T Mark the Spot to let you report network trouble directly to the firm. The app uses GPS data to report your location when you tell the company of a failed call, no coverage, data failure, or poor voice quality. This is a superb idea on AT&T's part; let's see if it results in noticeable network improvement.favicon follow link

 

Comments about Frustrated by iPhone Cell Trouble? Tap to Tell AT&T

msidoric2009-12-07 11:19
Hope their network can withstand being bombarded by 600 gabillion trouble reports. Did AT&T ever consider that this superb documentation of how crappy their network is might be subject to discovery in court? A dream come true for Verizon and consumer advocates.
Mark H. Anbinder2009-12-07 12:10
Maybe a silly question, but can the app cache the information until you're next in an area with better cell coverage? Or does the reporting fail if you've got no signal?
Glenn Fleishman2009-12-07 12:19
I haven't tried it yet to see what happens. Likely, it sends an email, since that's the only reliable outbound method if the network isn't available for asynchronous communication. It's possible that the program is designed to assuage us, and simply eats all reports, too, but that would be far too cynical of me.
CVBruce2009-12-07 15:40
Or a free SMS message
Glenn Fleishman2009-12-07 18:18
Oh, that's cleverer than me, but the 160-character limit might be a problem. I joke.
david art wales2009-12-09 09:31
this is going to be the most used application on my iPhone! i live in midtown manhattan & i can't even receive or make calls from my apt. my girlfriend merrily chats away on her rudimentary t-mobile cell while i sit there like a shmuck with "the best phone on the market" getting no signal.
Adam Engst2009-12-10 17:55
I'm really liking this - already I've gotten to complain twice about the coverage in my house, which varies between perfectly fine to completely non-existent, for reasons I can never figure out.