Time to Correctly Map Cellphone Dead Zones: Schumer

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on the FCC to crack down on wireless providers for inaccurate maps showing good service in what are really dead zones in northern Westchester and Putnam counties.

“There are more cell phone dead zones in Northern Westchester and Putnam Counties than post-winter potholes on the West Side Highway – and misrepresenting coverage maps to give the impression a wireless carrier provides coverage in an area where it does not is false advertising, pure and simple,” said Schumer, speaking Monday at the trailhead of the Camp Smith Trail.

He’s talking about an area where in the past 20 years residents of several communities, including Bedford, Croton-on-Hudson, Lewisboro, New Castle, Ossining, Philipstown, Pleasantville, Pound Ridge, Putnam Lake, Somers and Southeast, have fought the placement of towers nearby.

He focused on the maps as false marketing, but also said that better network service would be better.

Dead zones, dropped calls and spotty coverage are onerous, expensive and sometimes dangerous, he said.

Consumers are complaining, he said. Local businesses have reported experiencing dropped calls when using wireless devices to conduct business with customers, so the lack of coverage is not only inconvenient, it is becoming an economic deterrent. Finally, the lack of wireless coverage throughout Northern Westchester County and Putnam County can be a threat to public safety, he said, citing the spotty coverage on the Bear Mountain Bridge Road because of Sunday’s 3-vehicle collision.

SEE: Man Fell 100 Feet After Crash on Goat Trail

He pointed to a recent study released by RootMetrics that ranked the Hudson Valley in last place of 125 populous U.S. metro areas surveyed for mobile network performance. Despite major network carriers advertising full coverage on their coverage maps in most areas of the Hudson Valley, the study found that the actual service in the area failed in six categories: overall performance, network speed, network reliability, data performance, call performance and text performance.

He said Americans are increasingly relying on wireless technology to communicate, and customers rely on these coverage maps advertised by the carriers to make their purchasing decisions. Schumer said that is why it is critical these maps be accurate.

So he called for the Federal Communications Commission to immediately crack down on the lack of transparency and accuracy in wireless carriers’ coverage maps, which currently lead consumers to ‎incorrectly believe there is good cell service in their area.

Here’s the letter he wrote to the FCC:

Dear Chairman Wheeler:

Thank you for your dedication to ensuring that all Americans have access to quality telecommunication services. I am writing to you today because I am concerned about the disparity between the wireless coverage that carriers show on coverage maps and the actual access my constituents experience in New York. I ask that you investigate whether network providers are fairly and accurately advertising wireless coverage so that consumers can make informed choices. New York consumers have reported increasing problems of poor network performance, in particular lack of service in areas that are advertised as covered.

Americans increasingly rely on wireless technology to communicate and keep in touch with loved ones, peers, and business contacts. With the proliferation of smart phones, these devices have become necessary parts of people’s everyday lives. In addition, wireless services support global positioning system (GPS) products which can be essential to residents and tourists alike. Customers rely on the coverage maps advertised by the carriers to make their purchasing decisions. That is why it is critical that the maps provided in stores and on the carriers’ websites are accurate.

In fact, a recent study released by RootMetrics ranked Hudson Valley, New York in last place of 125 populous U.S. metro areas surveyed for mobile network performance. Despite major network carriers advertising full coverage on their coverage maps in most areas of the Hudson Valley, the study found that the actual service in the area failed in six categories: overall performance, network speed, network reliability, data performance, call performance and text performance. Without accurate coverage maps, consumers in the Hudson Valley and across the nation are forced to go through the onerous and sometimes dangerous experience of dead zones, dropped calls and poor clarity. Now, more than ever before, it is critical ‎that the FCC help protect consumers by ensuring that network carriers are providing accurate representations of the wireless service that consumers will receive.

Quality wireless service is ‎now an essential part of modern U.S. infrastructure, just like water, housing and clean air, and consumers deserve access to information that allows them to make informed decisions about their wireless carriers. I support the FCC’s transparency requirements, and strongly urge the Commission to examine the wireless coverage of Hudson Valley, New York to ensure that network carriers are advertising accurate coverage maps.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

U.S. Senator