New York’s senior senator, Charles Schumer, has launched a massive, statewide crowd sourcing campaign to improve wireless phone and data service in the Empire State. He’s calling on constituents to “identify and locate dead zones.” In a statement released by his Capitol Hill office on Wednesday (October 21), Schumer accused wireless carriers of “displaying areas in upstate counties as having good quality coverage when many of this areas are actually dead zones.”
“These false coverage maps may be good for business, but not for consumers living in those areas, who decide on which wireless carrier to use based on whether or not they provide good service in their area,” said Schumer. “Consumers need accurate information in order to make informed decisions in the marketplace, but these deceptive coverage maps may obscure the truth and put consumers at a major disadvantage.”
During a conference with reporters, Schumer noted that in recent years, many New York consumers have reported increasing problems with poor network performance, “particularly in more rural areas where there are fewer cellular towers and less wireless infrastructure.” He added, “many residents in Upstate New York have reported receiving poor cell phone coverage, despite wireless companies’ advertisements.”New Yorkers can go online to submit their Dead Zones directly to Schumer’s office. He said the results will be sent directly to the FCC to crack down on false coverage maps. To report dead zones: www.schumer.senate.gov/WirelessDeadzone.
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