Mobile operators could improve their network coverage by tapping into a consumer app that uses the integrated GPS on smartphones to record data on the location and quality of calls made by customers.
Tracesaver is a free mobile app developed by UK company Metricell that tracks the location of mobile phones 24/7 via the Tracesaver website.
The company behind the app has been collecting telephonic data from Tracesaver users for several months now. It has delivered more than 300 million telephonic measurements, which pinpoint network problems such as dropped calls, no coverage and no data service.
Metricell said that many leading operators have adopted smartphone measured data as a new source of customer located problem reporting to compliment basic drive test surveys.
Its aim is to work with different UK and international operators to comprehensively map the UK’s network coverage and ultimately worldwidecoverage.
It also allows mobile phone users to pinpoint the location of their mobile phone and identify the overall usage and the quality of service experienced on their mobile network. Customers can use their private Tracesaver account to view their whereabouts for any day over the past month.
Metricell said that many users will find Tracesaver ‘to be an extremely powerful record of near real-time location with uses ranging from tracking children and family members, recording route progress, summary reporting of calls made and more’.
Editor: Toyin Owoseje