Wednesday, the New York City Democrat launched a crowdsourcing campaign to crack down on what he suspects are false cellphone coverage maps used by major telecommunications companies.
He said he would provide the information directly to the Federal Communications Commission for review.
“Schumer has been pushing the FCC to investigate if network providers are fairly and accurately advertising wireless coverage so that consumers can make informed choices,” his office said after a conference call with news agencies.
“The information on dead zones provided by New York residents will enable the FCC to pinpoint the exact locations where wireless companies are false reporting good coverage, and then crack down on the lack of accuracy in those coverage maps.”
The campaign to gather information runs for the next three weeks.
In a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, Schumer charged that cellphone service is an important part of public safety.
“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,” Schumer said in the letter.
In documenting dead zones, the senator referred to research done by RootMetrics, a Washington-state-based company that evaluates telecommunication company data.
Its research maps indicate many areas of the Adirondack Park central region remains untested.
But areas around Clinton County, along Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence Seaway, show faster speed and “good” coverage for most major carriers.
The deadline to submit dead zone information to Schumer's office is 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Results will be sent directly to the FCC, the senator said.
©2015 the Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.