The cab devices may indeed be more effective than customer divices because they could be powered by the cab itself, rather than relying on customers to charge their phones. Not to mention that a dedicated device to monitor signal strength and clarity should be much more effective that any data that could be gathered through a customer survey.

The cab method would limit the drop reports to only outside locations. That way the service isn't being bombarded with no service reports everytime someone exits an elevator or building.
Plus, if your phone was constantly monitoring and collecting this data for your service provider it surely would have an impact on your overall battery life.

The devices in the cabs can probably store data about the areas where there isn't reception and send it later when there is reception.

Hehe... why don't they just ASK the drivers? I was in NYC this Fall and ALL the drivers were talking on cell phones all the time. There once was a time when the cabbies all wanted to talk to the passengers... I guess they really needed the human contact... but no more. You can barely tear them away from their cell phones to tell them where you want to go.

there was a time when they paid techs to do just that.using a van stuffed with specans and such they would drive around and note dead spots in the sys. this sounds like just another way to save money.

Hey Rick, most cab drivers can't speak English, so they can't ask them ... hehe.

Besides, I've lost signal many times and have never called my provider to report a dead spot, how many people have? Unlike customers, the equipment in the cabs will report every dead spot they encounter. Not a bad idea.

Not really super-helpful, unless you can get cabbies to drive around inside of the skyscrapers too.

My office is on the 38th floor, has a window, and only has reception in one of two 2x2 spots.

Coupla issues:

* Users don't always call when there's a problem. (Do YOU voluntarily call Customer Service and waste that much time over a dropped call?)

* Users sometimes ARE the problem (covering the antenna with their hand, using a broken handset, etc).

* Users don't know all the details (cellsite/sector/channel in use, power levels, adjacent/cochannel interference, etc).

These devices will give vastly more detailed information than a user ever could calling in about what's going on and where. It's a great idea if it SUPPLANTS a good tech department.

Embee: You're 38 floors up and likely lighting up 40 cellsites at once. There's so much noise, your phone can't get through. Without an in-building repeater network, you ain't gonna have much luck. Long ago, I tried using a GSM and a CDMA phone from atop the WTC. The GSM phone actually got a call through and stayed up for 5 seconds before locking up (mind you, it was a simple phone, not a smartphone). The CDMA phone? Couldn't get through to save it's life. WAY too much noise.

Reason your phone works in those 2x2 areas? It's shielded from other sites/users and thus can better get through. When in NYC at a hotel I ALWAYS request lower floors for this reason. On the 40th floor? I almost always get better service in the bathroom or near the doorway.

Manhattan has the highest cell density in the country. Cingular has something like FIVE HUNDRED sites in Manhattan alone.

Users calling in might work if they actually called. Dunno about you, I HATE talking to customer service. Also, how many mouthbreathers have you seen using the phone while covering the antenna with their hand, etc? Users are not always a good metric of network performance.

Most important difference; how's a user supposed to know WHERE the problem is? Cochannel interference? Adjacent channel? Faulty equipment? Coverage problem? Antenna alignment? These radios will detect a lot of those issues and can collect *much* more detailed info than someone calling in screaming about dropped calls.

@Embee: Dude, you're in the most cell-dense city in the nation. T-Mobile has over 300 sites on Manhattan alone. That's 13 sites per square mile. We know that above 110th st the site density is gonna go down so figure that number is higher in midtown and lower Manhattan.

You're 38 floors up; you likely have a killer view... just as your phone does, of something like 60-80 cellsites. Too many sites, too much noise. Those 2x2 areas? You're likely shielded from quite a few sites and thus have an easier time of getting through.

Any time I'm above, say, the 20th floor, I have problems as well. I almost always have better luck towards the interior of a building.

IMO this idea is genius.