Vermont Finds Their Maps are Wrong, Too

A few weeks ago we reported on the frustration of local wireless users who take great exception to the cellular coverage maps issued for areas showing good cellular coverage when indeed, there is little or none.  Our December report gave PTCI Cellular credit for actually driving their entire service area in Oklahoma and finding the coverage maps submitted to the FCC by the major carriers to be very inaccurate.

More recently, Corey Chase, a Vermont telecommunications infrastructure specialist, drove over 6,000 miles across the state in about six weeks this fall recording the download capabilities of each carrier.  Those results also revealed much less coverage than that showed on each carrier's coverage maps.  The accusations are directed mostly to Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile.

Related: Can We Trust Those Coverage Maps?

At stake is almost $5 Billion in federal assistance to build additional wireless infrastructure in areas where coverage is lacking.  Most areas are getting nothing because coverage maps submitted to the FCC by the major carriers show very few areas not covered.  Several associations as well as state and local governments are accusing them of showing fake coverage, keeping that money out of the hands of potential competitors. Vermont is now 1 of 37 states challenging the carriers' data.