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AT&T Mark the Spot: an iPhone app that lets you report sucky service
Released by AT&T themselves, Mark the Spot is an iPhone app that very simply lets you report outages in your mobile connectivity. Have a look at the screenshot -- what you see is what you get. An honest, earnest piece of troubleshooting software!Kudos must be given to AT&T for a truly humble app. Network admins have limited contact with the end-users during the best of times -- there's a smoke-screen of customer support FUD in between -- but with an app like this, AT&T can get direct, useful feedback.
But humble applications like these are double-edged blades. Imagine if you had an app that let you report, directly to Microsoft, every time Mr Clippy bugged you in a banal, bothersome fashion? I'm sure AT&T have released Mark the Spot with honorable intentions but I can foresee nefarious uses in its immediate future.
Being a British citizen I don't know if there are such things as 'Verizon Warriors' or some kind of 'V' zealotry (this is classic blue vs. red mentality isn't it?), but is it too crazy to imagine Verizon grabbing a bunch of iPhones, installing Mark the Spot, and sending its staff all over America to submit false feedback?
Relying on the customer for reliable feedback is risky at the best of times. Assuming app users will be trustworthy at the height of this polarized and bitter war between AT&T and Verizon is just plain stupid.
[via Just Another iPhone Blog -- Mark the Spot on iTunes (free)]
Comments
7
Subscribe to commentsThomas HoustonDec 7th 2009 11:51AM
Gorgeous design...
Sebastian AnthonyDec 7th 2009 11:53AM
Ain't it just...
I guess it's so you can mash the screen with your fist in a bout of rage and still hit the right button.
waywardwitDec 7th 2009 12:46PM
Ok... but if the service sucks - how can you submit the report? lol.
ArashikouDec 7th 2009 2:34PM
The app caches unsubmitted or unsubmittable reports and re-sends them later when conditions are less bad.
PhilipDec 7th 2009 5:27PM
dropped calls there an app for that
CameronDec 8th 2009 5:58PM
Hmm... A error reporter for when you have no coverage? Does anyone else see some flaws?
MarkDec 12th 2009 8:01AM
I have 2 problems with this app:
1. What are you saying when you have to have an app for your customers to report poor quality and performance of your network? Are you asking your customers, who pay you money, to be your technical / network advisors? Shouldn't you pay them to do that?
2. With the flood of reports that an app like this would report, who is breaking them down and delivering them to the correct regional personnel responsible for monitoring / enhancing your network? Who is even reading them?
Don't get me wrong. I think the iPhone (as well as the iTouch) are great products. Verizon is clearly feeling the pinch or else they wouldn't target a specific "PHONE" on a specific "NETWORK". I just question AT&T's message when they ask their customers to work for them, and paying so much above common service pricing for their iPhone's network access....