Thursday, December 20, 2018

Can We Trust Those Coverage Maps?

Last spring the Rural Wireless Association (RWA) cried fowl when the FCC released their unserved 4G LTE coverage map.  The RWA claimed Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile overstated their coverage in rural areas effectively preventing rural wireless carriers from securing federal funding to expand wireless coverage in rural areas from the Mobility Fund.  Recently, the FCC agreed to review the process to make sure.

PTCI Cellular, a small rural carrier complained that driving over their service territory of the panhandle of Oklahoma shows 85% of the area with no 4G-LTE coverage from any carrier, yet the FCC map showed the entire area covered.  Eyebrows were raised in several other locations, such as the state of Kansas, who noted that their state appears to have 100% 4G-LTE coverage on the map.  Kansas regulators are often fielding complaints about areas with no coverage, let alone at 4G-LTE quality.


We don't get complaints about coverage that shows on a map that doesn't appear in the real world, but we do get complaints about areas with coverage shown but unable to make reliable calls and access usable data.  The carriers involved claim that, if anything, their maps are conservative.  We also note that just because an area shows little 4G coverage, a carrier can offer 4G download rates with various combinations of RF technology.

We're hoping this results in better maps, but more likely, we may see maps that either show less coverage or less detail, just so the FCC, the RWA and other rural associations stop complaining.  Thank goodness they are.  We agree rural areas need better coverage and the rural carriers have the most incentive to provide it.  May the best map win.