I suppose I'm being too cynical, but part of me suspects that AT&T has only created this app to reduce the amount of time their reps spend listing to complaints about dropped calls. I know I've spent a lot of time on the phone with them over the last year. While they're always very cordial and say things like they are "sending out crews to look at towers", etc, nothing changes. In fact, where I live (about an hour south of NYC) things have gotten far worse - not better.
No, you are dead on. Long story, but relevant.
I live right in the middle of what is supposed to be top notch 3G voice and data coverage. Not only do I not have 3G service as indicated, but all phones owned by any ATT customer physically at my home routinely drop into GPRS data.
I called AT&T to inquire and pointed out that the closest fringe area was 3 miles or more in any one direction. This meant according to their own maps, I was in fact 3 miles deep into what was indicated as perfect 3G coverage.
So things were escalated after a few calls totaling several hours to another tier of support.
This gentleman told me I was looking at the voice coverage map, and that I should look at the data coverage map.
So, I looked at the 3G data map, and while the coverage geometry did differ from the voice, I was still 3 miles deep into what was indicated as perfect 3G coverage. Voice or Data.
At this point, they said they were sending an engineer out to take readings.
Knowing that it might be a simple tuning or positioning issue and that every GPS map company on earth reports the wrong position of my physical address by about 1000 ft, I gave them specific GPS coordinates for the address.
A common theme through all of this is that I was promised follow up calls, and never got a single one... I always had to call to follow up with them.
So I call back and get in touch with the tech, and he said the engineer came out and there was perfect 3G coverage.
Hmmm... maybe something is wrong with my phone... so I check the other 3 people who live in the household with 3G capable phones, all different models.
Same problem.
A buddy came over with a 3G phone know to work properly in 3G areas... same problem.
My phone at work in a 3G area, no problem.
I called ATT back with this information including the phone numbers of the other individuals experiencing the same issues at the location. They indicated they would send another truck out to take readings.
My gut feeling at this point was, the guy was at the GPS location 1000ft up the road, not my address.
So I asked them to have the guy give me a call and pull in my driveway to take readings, just to be sure he was at the correct location. They refused.
A few days go by and I contact them again, this time the tech tried to tell me there were no 3G towers in my area, nor would they be in the near future.
Interesting...
Finally the tech admits his maps don't match the coverage maps, and there seems to be coverage showing where he shows no towers for miles.
He contacts his supervisor finds his maps are incorrect. Go figure.
Eventually he transfers me to his supervisor who pretty much told me they have spent enough time on the issue and there was nothing they could do.
For the record, an acceptable solution to me would have been:
1) Correct the coverage map
2) Fix the issue
They chose to let me out of my contract on all lines rather than fix the issue or fix the coverage map.
This was 1 1/2 years ago, and the situation is the same today.
To me, this application seems like a diversion tactic.
