As the war continues over which UK operator provides the most comprehensive coverage and the best performing network, Vodafone has gone a step further to prove its claim by asking users to provide real-time signal strengths.
The company has launched a Twitter-based application where users are requested to enter their location, connection type (GPRS or 3G), signal strength in bars, whether indoors or not and which handset model is being used. The results are then displayed on an interactive map where users can see the average signal strength in their area.
Vodafone has a track record with Twitter mashups and was behind the service which enabled subscribers to Tweet their planned holiday destination last year. But the company has opened this latest service to non-Twitter users who can input as well as access the real-time coverage information at Vodafone UK signal website.
While mobile operators have robustly defended any criticism of their network coverage, complaints continue to flood in. O2 UK recently said that 'planned engineering work' was the reason behind an upsurge in protests from 3G subscribers over the absence of coverage in several areas.
For more on this story:
- read Reg Hardware
- for an indication of Vodafone's coverage--as reported by users--click on http://vodafoneuksignal.com/
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