Mobe operators, need to check your network? There’s an app for that

US mobile network checking company Global Wireless Solutions says there is a gap between its traditional way of testing mobile coverage using vans driving around with $300k of testing kit in the back and crowd-sourced reports on quality of mobile network coverage. The problem with using vans to check networks goes beyond cost …

[Anonymous Coward]

Um, yes.

"I, however, would love to strap the backpack on and wander around Hampstead to be able to answer the question my friend Richard asked" How long before I get shot by the Police.

[Shaun Blagdon]

Why don't the operators offer a small incentive to customers to run the app on their own phones?

[Anonymous Coward]

We already have...

...OpenSignal on Android that does pretty much this.

Assuming that it's accurate and that it keeps the correct values.

[trashbat]

Re: We already have...

Indeed - and a British startup at that. I met them at last year's MWC and they seem to have the right idea, though it was early days for them as a commercial concern.

[Charles 9]

They can't control the customers too well. Thus this bridge. You use the mobe so the tech can go where people go, but you control the variables and use a hired hand to make the results more precise and reliable.

[JetSetJim]

There's an app for that (already)

Or even like the Root Metrics app, which aggregates data from lots of users and then sells it back to the operators. It even plots it on a pretty map for folks to browse.

Saying that, drive testing type data is always useful as you get the proper GPS track along with it, rather than the cute hexagons offered by Root Metrics (not sure if the data they sell to the operators is better, though, as it obviously does log the GPS for each measurement)

[All names Taken]

Wouldn't there be a bit of local interference by having so many phones in so close a proximity (what with shielding and all that).

[JetSetJim]

not always

A lot of this info can just be sniffed by the mobes - no need to transmit and interfere.

Obviously more advanced tests could be done with transmitting data, but you could easily imagine a good build of this s/w being able to schedule calls/downloads for each device from one central point

[Anonymous Coward]

I've done some work with one of the UK mobile companies to improve signal coverage for our business. Their engineers use normal mobile phones connected to laptops to record/plot the signal data.

As to the mobile companies not knowing what the other operators coverage is like, I don't buy that. From my dealings with the mobile companies in the UK, they know exactly what the competition's coverage is like. I was with one engineer, and he had a map showing the cell locations of all the networks for the area we were working in.

[denzil]

i would love this software , then maybe three would stop feeding me constant BS about the signal i get .

[Anonymous Coward]

ha ha ha

Do you really think they'd stop feeding you bullshit just because you're running a signal monitoring app?

Are you interested in a Bridge? How about some ocean-front propery?

[Shaun Blagdon]

.

Of course each operator know about other operators coverage. It's just a matter of putting another SIM in the test kit and going for a drive. Also, plenty of engineers move around the different ops and plenty of operators site share.

[Anonymous Coward]

They measure...

...SNR in dbm (sic)?

Heavens to Betsy, now we know why coverage isn't what we expect!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: They measure...

Shouldn't it be in dBi?

[bigdish]

Re: They measure...

yes, and RSRQ (not RSSRQ) should be in dB too

I hope that screengrab was just a mock up....