Workforce Management Basics in Today's Call Centers

Company call centers are at the core of companies’ interactions with customers. When customers encounter problems before, during, and after purchases, they reach out to customer service agents for guidance and support. Providing customers with a pleasant call experience can increase customer satisfaction, which can lead to customer retention, referrals to new customers, and increased sales.

Customer service interactions can be the deciding factor that influences someone’s choice to make a purchase or end business with a company. As Peppers & Rogers Group reported, indifferent salespeople cause 60 percent of customers to stop doing business with companies. 

To avoid the problem of employee indifference and improve salesperson interactions with customers, companies should prioritize employee satisfaction and implement workforce management (WFM). WFM tools can decrease labor costs while increasing profit. WFM and workforce optimization (WFO) solutions integrated with Bright Pattern’s innovative technology enable company call centers to analyze customer interactions, maximize call center agents’ performance and consistency, and improve the quality of calls.

Bright Pattern collaborates with integration partners such as Pipkins, NICE, Aspect, and Monet to give call centers sophisticated scheduling and forecasting capabilities.

The critical components of implementing WFM in call centers are the enabling of efficient agent training, forecast scheduling, agent flexibility, quality management, and improvement of key performance indicators.

Efficient Agent Training

WFM and WFO enable companies to track agents’ interactions with customers, allowing them to identify agents’ skill deficiencies. Using WFM and WFO, managers can evaluate agent performance and customer satisfaction. Managers can provide efficient training tailored to agents’ weak spots when they know their strengths and weaknesses.

Call center agents must receive training on how to handle challenging customer interactions and personalities, and how to use technology implemented in call centers. Agents working for companies that use Bright Pattern contact center software will find that such robust technology is easy to use and provides pleasant calling experiences for customers and employees. The innovative, artificial intelligence-backed technology from Bright Pattern, the leading provider of enterprise call center software, optimizes inbound and outbound calling capabilities.

Bright Pattern’s omnichannel software, the first of its kind, outperforms multichannel software offered by competitors. This powerful technology compiles and updates data, allowing customers and call center agents to experience seamless connections via telephone, live chat, email, text, SMS, and other communication channels. Such software prevents leaving customers on hold or making them wait to speak to multiple agents across different departments.

For outbound call centers, businesses can use free ringless voicemail drops offered by Stratics Networks, the creators of such technology, to optimize customer outreach. Voicemail drops allow companies to reach more telephone prospects while using less time and fewer resources. This technology enables call center agents to leave voicemail messages without placing calls. Stratics Networks lets companies send an unlimited number of nondisruptive voicemail drops with unrestricted delivery days and times, increasing productivity by maximizing the number of calls a call center can make.

Forecast Scheduling

When generating schedules, managers must consider agent availability and work preferences, vacation times, and agents’ unique skills. WFM tools use historical data to forecast incoming volume, enabling companies to ensure there’s enough workforce capacity to handle the predicted call volume. Scheduling enough call center staff to handle the rise and fall of peak call times helps companies reduce incoming call abandonment rates, and minimize operating costs. Accurate scheduling can reduce unplanned overtime, vacations, and decrease transition times.

Flexibility For Agents

WFM enables companies to hire remote call center agents to work from any location. Bright Pattern offers software that allows companies to create a virtual call center, if necessary, enabling agents to match customers’ geographic diversity.

Quality Management

WFM tools can optimize business planning and prevent managers and call center employees from spending time sifting through call recordings manually. WFO solutions provide tools for analyzing, monitoring, and managing customer service interactions, whether they take place over call or text.

KPI Improvement

Key performance indicators (KPI) are statistics that help companies determine the status of their call center operations and measure if companies are meeting goals and business objectives. WFM and WFO analytics can identify KPIs that need improving across all conversation channels, allowing companies to focus on goal achievement.

Business owners can use critical metrics such as sales figures, profit margins, and ROI to determine their business’s success. When consulting sales figures, entrepreneurs should keep in mind how much customer service operations and call center productivity can influence their company’s bottom line. WFM is a necessity for call centers to evaluate agent performance, customer interactions, and customer satisfaction, and improve productivity.

Joshua Tree National Park Has Zero Cell Coverage

Joshua Tree is a Huge Cell Phone Dead Zone

Over 1.25 million people visit Joshua Tree National Park each year.  However, I can tell you that you won't be able to make phone calls or receive data to your phone.  No carrier has coverage throughout the National Park.  You can drive almost 50 miles across the park and still not have one bar of reception.  If you are lucky you might have a faint signal if you climb on top of a mountain or hill to receive a text.  Good luck making a phone call if you are in an emergency situation.  

I guess its one of the last remaining places where you can truly unplug.  

How WiFi Offloading Affects Cellular Leases

Cellular 4G LTE vs WiFi

To cope with the exponential increase in data demand since the introduction of the Smartphone, many wireless carriers have been trying a variety of solutions to help meet the needs of their customers. In some cases, these service providers find themselves with a troubling choice: they can either offload their cellular traffic to public, unlicensed WiFi networks or risk losing customers to their competitors. It is understandable that most would choose the former, but the increasingly widespread practice of WiFi offloading has many cell site owners concerned about the implications. Could this offloading practice take business from cellular providers and site owners, or worse– render them obsolete?

Experts think not. In fact, the practice of WiFi offloading isn’t nearly the threat to cellular service that it might seem at first glance. While there are certainly issues with this practice that will require a bit of patience, flexibility, and extra preparedness from cell site owners and renters, there are still several challenges in the wireless industry that make cellular service a necessity. In fact, issues particular to WiFi capability not only ensure cellular services’ secure position in the wireless data industry, but could also prove a boon to savvier investors.

Meeting Hotspot Requirements

No matter their size, any given WiFi access point will have limitations in both service radius and number of users that can be supported at once. Hence, the growing demand for WiFi hotspots, and the access points available at each, has many wireless carriers scrambling to develop new cellular sites and improve those already in existence. This means more investment opportunities for cell site owners and renters alike.

Even with their best efforts, there are still significant gaps to be found in WiFi coverage, particularly in more rural areas. As a result, customers continue to utilize cellular coverage as a more reliable option. Since WiFi planning and development often take several years to process and implement, cell tower owners in these areas are particularly secure from any threats that could be posed by WiFi offloading.

Interference

On the other side of the coin, more population-dense areas are facing an over-saturation of data access points in WiFi hotspots. This overload of competing access points creates interference between WiFi carriers, which diminishes both security and quality of user experience. In these scenarios, cellular service provides an access point with greater security and protection from interference, enhancing the user experience on all points.

As a result, a large percentage of users continue to rely on cellular coverage even in thriving WiFi hotspots. Those owning or renting cell towers in these areas may do well to upgrade their sites to keep up with evolving WiFi technology, but maintaining the quality of cellular technology on the site will also be crucial to the property’s value.

Meeting the Demands of High Call Volumes

Along with its limitations in terms of radius and user capacity, WiFi also faces challenges in terms of high call volumes. Most WiFi access points can only handle 15 calls simultaneously, and this number decreases in areas of high interference. As long as people continue making voice calls, the need for reliable cellular towers will remain constant. This is especially true in areas that experience higher call volumes, such as neighborhoods rich in multifamily housing and city business districts. 

Ensuring Seamless Connectivity

Currently, most WiFi access points require users to sign in at least once to be able to use the network. This inconvenience is strongly felt by those in transit, in the midst of a conference, or for those handling time-sensitive matters over the network. As such, most users opt for cellular service for hassle-free access to their data network. While steps are being taken to make WiFi access a smoother process for users, it will require protocol development and technological updates that will take several years to implement. The process will also require additional partnership and cooperation with cellular service providers, creating a potential benefaction for cell tower owners.

Maintaining Continued Security in a Changing Industry

With WiFi service providers facing challenges that only cellular providers can overcome, cell tower owners can take assurance that their property is certain to maintain its value in the years to come. However, there are steps that cell site owners and renters can take to not only ensure this security’s longevity but to increase property value in the interim. By practicing savviness and adaptability, cell site owners can ensure the continued worth of their investment for many years to come. The consultants at Lease Advisors are prepared for such contingencies and are ready to help cell tower owners make the most of the changing times. By offering their expertise and insight, they can help turn this potentially worrying trend into a long-lasting advantage for you and your investment.

Obama Helps to Prevent Cell Phone Bill Shock

Thanks to some hard work by the Obama administration, the FCC will now require carriers to alert customers who are about to exceed data plan or text limits on calling plans. They are also required to inform customers who may be about to incur large roaming charges. The new cell phone billing notification rules would require cellular carriers AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile & Sprint to send text messages or voicemails to users as they approach their plans’ data or voice limits.  These regulations would also apply to international roaming charges. The messages would be automated and occur immediately without the need for a mobile application or opt-in. President Obama praised the industry announcement, saying

“Our phones shouldn’t cost us more than the monthly rent or mortgage. I appreciate the mobile phone companies’ willingness to work with my administration and join us in our overall and ongoing efforts to protect American consumers by making sure financial transactions are fair, honest and transparent.”

Why is Google Chrome Browser Constantly Crashing?

Does your Google Chrome browser crash all the time?  If you have not updated your browser software in a while its probably time that you do it.  Look for About Google Chrome in your menu in the upper right corner and you will see a screen like this below.  The browser will check for updates automatically.  The update should stabilize your computer a bit and it should not crash as frequently.

50% of e911 Calls Are Accidental "Pocket Dials"

The FCC commissioner says half of 911 calls are pocket dials. That would mean that approximately 84 million 911 calls a year are pocket dials.  The real question is why are phones doing this and what apps are enabling this?

I think the bigger problem frankly is many of these calls are also attempted in dead zones or areas where cell phone reception is not available. The FCC has address this issue over the years but has not been very transparent on the issue.   Read more. 

Bluetooth Beacons Are Used Like Mobile Phone Cookies

Bluetooth Beacon Transmitter

Bluetooth proximity marketing is the latest marketing technique being deployed by retailers, Governments and sporting venues to track users.  How these groups benefit from it?  They do it through proximity marketing and it is about connecting with your audience at the right place and time.

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless system found on most smartphones and tablets that transmit information and can receive information.  Most people currently use Bluetooth for hands free in our cars or to connect to a wireless speaker. Bluetooth proximity marketing involves setting up Bluetooth "broadcasting" equipment at a particular location.  If your Bluetooth is "turned on" and you are near one of these beacons.  Information can be sent to devices via be text, images, audio on enabled devices (aka cell phone, tablet) within range of the transmitter (beacon).  A Bluetooth enabled mobile device, when in range of the beacon (transmitter) receives the signal and then via the device's operating system, passes information to the appropriate mobile app(s).

Several things need to happen beforehand.
1)  Bluetooth is turned on
2)  A Bluetooth beacon transmitter must be nearby
3)  The targeted individual should have a specific application installed on the their phone that is capable of receiving a push notification.  

What information is collected?
1) The ID of the phone and user of the phone
2) Cellular or Wifi signal strength issues
3)  Locations traveled of other beacons in the area (for example locations within a store).  

Australia's Mobile Black Spot Program Has Located 6,000 Dead Zones

The Mobile Black Spot Programme is an Australian Government initiative to extend mobile phone coverage and competition in regional Australia. The programme will invest in telecommunications network infrastructure to improve coverage of high quality mobile voice and wireless broadband services and competition in the provision of these services. The Government has committed $100 million (GST exclusive) over four years to the delivery of the Mobile Black Spot Programme. The program will improve coverage along major transport routes, in small communities and in locations prone to experiencing natural disasters, as well as addressing unique mobile coverage problems.

Nominations of mobile black spot locations. From 16 December 2013 to 1 August 2014, the Department of Communications received reports of approximately 6,000 locations with poor or no mobile coverage. These locations have been included in a database which is now available as an interactive map. The database will be shared with mobile network operators and infrastructure providers to assist them in preparing funding proposals for the Mobile Black Spot Programme. The database of mobile black spot locations closed on 1 August 2014.

Some 6,000 mobile black spots (dead zones) exist across Australia, according to a recent database released by the government and compiled after submissions from the public. Victoria was the state reported to have the most nominations – 2,029 – for mobile black spots, followed by New South Wales, which had 1,780, while Queensland and Western Australia had 897 and 523, respectively. However, according to The Australian, the AUD100 million (USD92 million) set aside for its Mobile Black Spot Programme is only expected to be able to pay for the construction of between 250 and 300 new base stations. Despite this, Paul Fletcher, parliamentary secretary to the communications minister, was cited as saying that these new towers should help fill coverage gaps in multiple areas, saying: ‘It is important to understand that, although 6,000 locations have been nominated, this does not mean that there are 6,000 locations where a new base station is required.’

With mobile operators such as Telstra, Optus and Vodafone Australia expected to tap the AUD100 million government fund, the process is also reportedly expected to generate at least another AUD100 million investment from bidding parties, state governments and local councils. In terms of which locations will benefit from funding, this will be determined by a competitive selection process, with Mr Fletcher noting: ‘The final determination of the locations to receive funding will come through the competitive selection process, which is designed to allocate the funding to locations which will deliver the greatest benefit in terms of new coverage, for the public funding provided.’ This tender process will reportedly get underway this month, with a decision on successful bids expected by April 2015, ahead of new towers being rolled out in the second half of 2015.

VoLTE vs Wifi Calling

Wireless carrier voice revenues are declining almost to zero (many fees now include unlimited voice and SMS texts, charging only on the basis of data consumed).  Not to mention the reliability of voice coverage is on the declines as well with carrier networks seeing congestion in many areas throughout the World.

Have carriers lost control of voice and messaging services with the onset of the mobile data tsunami?  It appears to be that way seeing the growth of over the top messaging services.  Many wireless consumers suffering from poor quality or non-existent voice service at home have three main technical solutions to consider.

• Install a femtocell, (often termed residential small cell) 
• Use Wi-Fi calling 
• Install a repeater

The wireless industry seems uncertain of which direction to take for future voice delivery.  VoLTE which stand for (Voice over LTE) seems the most popular choice and is considered by many to be the path of the future. However, the complexity of introducing the service late and alongside existing 2G/3G has delayed launch.  Despite the hype at the last CTIA conference, few operators and few devices actively support it today.  This could obviously change quickly over the coming year. Sprint's CTO advised they will wait until its more mature, offering HD Voice over 3G instead.

Several operators are introducing Voice over Wi-Fi including operators T-Mobile. This is quite independent of VoLTE and comes in several flavors - many operators offer a separate App that can be a bit clunky and inconvenient to use. Alternatively, the new iPhone iOS8 Wi-Fi calling feature is fully integrated as a seamless service - making it as easy to use as standard cellular calls.  Most T-Mobile android phones offer built in Wifi calling as well.  The iPhone could be a big trigger for greater take-up of Wifi calling and may affect sales of residential Femtocells.  Approximately, 10 million residential Femtocells deployed worldwide. 

How To Report Unsafe Cell Phone Towers

Have you ever been on a communications tower that's missing so much hardware, you are sure there is a structural issue? Andrew Brown has. Andrew is the owner of Orchard Telesolutions, based in Michigan. One morning Andrew posted a question on Facebook addressing this very issue. I decided to do something about this all too common problem.

That same day, less than a month ago, I created a Facebook page called 'Unsafe Towers’. In the week prior to writing this article, I saw on Facebook an antenna mounted with zip-ties and a tower with so much corrosion that you could actually see through the pipe. I have asked both of the men who posted those photos to let me know where those sites are located. They were each concerned with getting in trouble for actually reporting the problem. The irony is that their names are associated with their posts on Facebook.

The job hazard analysis / certification of hazard assessment (JHA/CHA) was created to reduce liability to the lowest level: the climber. If there is an accident onsite, everyone from the contractor up to the carrier will tell OSHA that the climber signed the JHA/CHA that morning. The climber's signature confirms that he/she knew what was being done that day (as well as the risks involved), had been properly trained, and had accepted responsibility. Now liability for the climber's accident is laid squarely at the feet of the climber. As if the liability of death wasn't enough, now their family is left with nothing. No husband/wife, father/mother, boyfriend/girlfriend, son/daughter, uncle/aunt or grandson/granddaughter. My intent is to level the playing field.

In the event of a major accident that results in major injuries or death, there will be an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Our industry is in OSHA's cross-hairs right now, and deservedly so. However, what if you went to a tower a month ago and saw that corrosion had eaten the tower to pieces? You reported it to your boss. More often than not in our industry there are two responses:

1.    “I know it's bad, but if we don't do it, someone else will. We are not giving up our PO because you are scared. Someone has to get this job done so it might as well be us”.

2.    Your boss does take your concern seriously. When he tells his vendor that the tower is unsafe, there is then this conversation. “We will pull this site back from you (your company) and get someone else to do that site and give you another one”.  That, your boss knows, may or may not happen.

I am not going to judge you.  I know the pressures associated with building cell phone sites.  I understand the deadlines and unrealistic expectations of carriers who are not on-site, turf management companies that have requirements that are questionable in theory and ridiculous in practice.  Enormous amounts of pressure are applied daily to your foreman and then on to the guys at elevation.  There has to be recourse and I really just want to be a resource. You can go to https://www.facebook.com/unsafetowers and in the very first post, click on the link that says “Tell me about your unsafe tower”. Or you can just go to https://form.jotform.us/form/42525754737159 and fill out the form there. You can remain completely anonymous in either case. When you click on the submit button at the bottom of the page, I will get an email with all the information you have provided me. The only part of the form that is not really needed is identifying information for the person reporting the unsafe tower and I understand the desire for anonymity.  If you so choose, I can also be reached at unsafetowers@gmail.com. I need as much information as possible to be able to affect change. The truth of the matter is that in the event of an accident, the climber deserves to have OSHA obtain ALL the information relevant to their investigation.  I will post sites that are reported to me online.  Initially, it will be the Facebook page.  Later on I will post them on a website that will be linked to the ‘Unsafe Towers’ Facebook page.  I am in the process of getting unsafetowers.com up and running.  In the event of a death or an injury, I will contact Bridgette Hester at the Hubble Foundation or Wally Reardon who receives reports of injuries, and determine if the accident occurred at a tower that has been reported to me.  If there is a match, I will notify OSHA of my report. 

This doesn't work without the climbing community. You are the ones who are on these sites.  I know this industry and I know there are going to be those who doubt that anything will come of this.  Rest assured that there are important people who want this information. The day that the Facebook page launched, I received a message from a national director for cell sites at a major carrier. I was told that this is information that he wants but has difficulty getting. I was asked to call or email him if one of their towers was reported. He asked me to notify him immediately. There is a desire for this feedback from you in the field and I need your support to make this work.

            Here is the information I ask for on the form linked above.

1.    What state is the tower in?

2.    Who owns the tower?

3.    How many carriers are on the tower?

4.    Is there a specific way to identify the tower?

5.    Type of tower?

6.    Latitude and Longitude?

7.    Address the crew was given for the site?

8.    What carrier are you working for?

9.    Who issued your PO?

10.  Has your chain of command been notified? (I don’t care either way)

11.  What work were you to perform?

12.  What is the safety issue that   caused concern?

13.  Any additional information?

14.  If you have photos, you can upload those also.

This is information I need if I am going to notify the tower owner/carrier that there is an issue. This is our livelihood and we should demand that we are NOT required to pay for the privilege with our lives.  But, the most important issue remains. If the tower is unsafe, I don’t have the right to NOT report it.  If I walk away from the site, you might pay with your life for my silence.  Due to the extreme dangers that are inherent with this industry, we are truly our brothers' keepers.

My desire is to create a database where we can track towers that for many different reasons are unsafe.  Whether it is splice or stitch bolts, a collar that is peeling off of a tower, or booms that are not able to handle today’s loads, these are all items that require attention.  We are not doing ourselves or our brothers and sisters in the industry any favors by passing the buck.  So, I am asking for your help to make this work.  After all, I wasn’t on your site today, you were.  Your help benefits everyone from the carriers to the climbers.  Let’s work together and change our industry. 

Vern Fitzgerel

unsafetowers@gmail.com

AT&T Coverage Map Problems Heat Map

AT&T Wireless Coverage Map of Reported Cellular Coverage Problems

Dropped calls, dead zones, network congestion.  

Add your coverage problems to our AT&T Coverage Map

Learn more about using our coverage data. 

Why Does Pandora Randomly Start Playing?

Why Is My Pandora Android App Randomly Turning On?

Its very frustrating as a fan of Pandora to see my Pandora app randomly turn on.  It happens to me on an Android phone. It is also very hard to find the quit button.   You have to hit menu button which is not easy to find.  Are they trying to sell ads or boost their ratings?  Are they trying to make it hard for me to turn off the app?  See also our reviews and articles on the Pandora.  

How to Market Land to Tower Companies for New Towers

For every landowner with an open parcel of land that isn’t currently under use, a cell tower sounds like a great way to add value to the land and bring in an extra monthly income. If you know anyone who owns a cell tower lease, you’ve probably heard that the income is a welcome addition to their finances and that having a cell tower on the land turns out to be a lucrative investment. So how do you get a cell tower on your own plot of land? The answer to this question is not so clear, as cell tower leasing isn’t a simple matter of getting a tower company to build a tower and solicit a wireless company for tenancy. Here are some suggestions for marketing your land and increasing your chances of getting a tower built.

Getting a Cell Tower on Your Land
Before we get started, you should know that the chances of getting a new tower built on your land is close to 1%. That’s right: wireless carriers are very selective about where to build a new tower. A wireless company will select a parcel of land to build on based on a set of narrow criteria in the form of a “Search Ring.” A Search Ring is an area on a map chosen by company engineers as the best location to build a new tower. This area takes into account the topography of the land, gaps in wireless coverage, surrounding populations of customers, zoning conditions, distance to adjacent towers, and other characteristics that make a given stretch of land more desirable for cell tower placement.

Most cell tower lease owners are contacted by a company agent requesting usage of their land. So really if you think your land is a viable location for a cell site, the waiting game is the best chance you’ve got at being selected for a tower lease. However if your land exhibits a lot of the characteristics required by a wireless carrier to build a tower, there are certainly some things you can do to actively improve your chances.

Land Characteristics
If you decide to market your land, you should think about the characteristics your land demonstrates; otherwise you risk wasting your time. First of all, your land shouldn’t be less than a mile away from another cell tower. Due to the current demand of coverage and data usage, wireless companies are having towers built every mile or so. Are you surrounded by a dense population, or is your land located next to a major highway? These things help.

You should also see about getting into contact with your local zoning department and find out whether your land is even zoned for cell tower usage. Many jurisdictions don’t allow cell towers on residentially zoned plots, and they will have other regulatory requirements that your land should meet. One last question to ask yourself is this: is your land unique? If your land is perfect for a cell tower, is it the only area that can accept a cell tower in the region, or could a neighbor possibly accept a cell tower as well?

Market Your Property
If you think your land uniquely exhibits the characteristics required for a cell tower, there are some things you can do to make yourself more visible to wireless carriers, tower companies, and their agents. Put out a sign on your property or near the closest highway that advertises your availability for a cell site, along with a phone number you can be reached at. You can also attend any local zoning hearings for new cell tower construction and see if you can talk to a company agent or representative.

Contact Carriers and Tower Companies Directly
Carriers are not always easy to approach directly. Many of them have their own procedures for scouting out cell tower sites and they are solicited by landowners all of the time. However you can try getting through to major carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, Cingular, and Sprint to see whether they are interested in scouting out new cell sites.

Tower companies tend to work with carriers when they build new towers. They can’t just build towers all over the country and hope to get paying tenants for the reason mentioned above: wireless carriers are very selective about where they lease cell towers because they have particular plans for their wireless networks. Plus if a cell tower is going to be built at all, many localities require a letter of intent from a licensed carrier that is going to be using the cell tower as part of the zoning regulations. However it doesn’t hurt to try to contact these companies for prospects, or to simply gather more information about your own region.

Get Professional Help
It also helps your chances if you network with professionals that are involved in the industry. There are various databases that tower companies and carriers set up to make their searches easier; getting your information into one of these databases can help. The closer you are to industry professionals, the more you’ll know about what is happening in your region and you’ll be positioned to take advantage of an opportunity if it comes your way.

There are also leasing acquisition and consultation companies, like Lease Advisors, which mediate between cell tower lease owners and other industry professionals. Companies like these offer negotiation services, enabling everyday people to more easily access and communicate with tower companies. Whatever path you choose, make sure you don’t go it alone. A professional helping hand is an invaluable asset, and the right lease agreement pays huge dividends. So be patient, be persistent, and be practical.

Why Does My Phone Keep Dropping Calls?

Social Networking Apps Causing Cell Tower Signaling Issues

A recent survey found that 72% of Americans experience some form of dropped calls, and 32% experience dropped calls at least a few times per week or more. Like it or not, dropped calls and poor coverage are still a major problem for a large number of people. Carriers continue to add cell towers and expand coverage areas, this is not a problem that's going to go away soon. So what is there to do?   Get a small cell (aka femtocell) or a cell phone booster for your house.

You can also, tell all of your friend's kids and neighbors using the same cell phone tower to stop using their chatty messaging apps.  If you see the chart above it is looks like these apps are constantly pinging the cell towers which is causing people to drop calls.  Would love additional feedback below.  

Yes, dead zones or poor signal strength areas do cause many dropped calls.  However, the majority of dropped calls are in areas near cell phone towers.  The more smartphones pinging the tower the more dropped calls will persist.  

Where Are Wireless Carriers Turning Off 2G & Why?

Why Are Carriers Are Turning Off 2G & 3G Reception?

AT&T & Verizon are slowly turning off 2G cell phone towers in many rural markets.  Why?  Because they need the capacity and or spectrum in that market for 4G and LTE.  3G and 4G provide faster data speeds but voice service can often be less reliable.  

If you have been a long time customer with an older phone and suddenly you don't have coverage any longer, you are probably one of those people who either have to upgrade their phone or find a new carrier.  Many carriers still service 2G customers so its best you do your homework in a particular market and find out who has 2G service.   

I think the FCC has done an incredible disservice to consumers not mandating that carriers provide transparency on where they are turning off 2G service.  Thus, our map database Deadcellzones.com has exploded with contributions of dead zone problems this year on our map.  Consumers are confused and don't know what to do.  These present an opportunity for an aggressive smaller carrier to capitalize on this incredibly horrible service and transparency the big carriers are providing.  Stay tuned because the fireworks are just beginning!  

What Cellular Service Does Your Connected Car Use?

Based on Our Research These Are the Announced Connected Car & Carrier Deals We Found! 

AT&T

Telsa Motors

Ford

GM

Volvo

Nissan

Verizon

Hyundai

Volkswagen

Honda

BMW

T-Mobile

Audi

Sprint

Chrysler

5 Must Have Mobile Games

Mobile phone games have exploded over the past couple years thanks to the rise of the smartphone and tablets like the iPad. These days phone games aren't just Tetris and Pong, but more like an arcade in your pocket with sophisticated titles. With so many to choose from, it's sometimes hard to sift through the deluge and find that diamond in the rough. A prepaid cell phone doesn't have to be left out of the gaming fun, either. There are plenty of great free mobile games out there, which are ideal when you're on a prepaid or limited data plan. Whether you're on a budget or just like a good deal, here are 5 great free games available to get your T-mobile phone gaming today.

1. Words with Friends (Zynga) - The latest sensation from Zynga (the studio which brought you Farmville), this game can be played with Facebook friends, a random online opponent, or between you and another friend live. It's essentially Scrabble with a few tweaks, but as a free game it can't be beat for linguaphiles everywhere.

2. Zynga Poker (Zynga) - Zynga Poker is the largest free-to-play online poker game in the world. Players can choose from casual Hold ‘Em tables, tournament play or VIP tables.  According to AppData, it is the fourth most popular game on Facebook, four years after its launch. Also available on Google Android and Apple iOS, Zynga Poker has been a top 10 grossing game in the Apple App Store.  If you are interested in real online gambling see these top 5 mobile casino games.

3. Madden NFL 10 (EA Mobile) - The classic football sim comes to your phone with this game free for T-Mobile Android phone users. This includes all 32 NFL teams and 300 plays to choose from, it's a full gaming experience. The latest edition, Madden NFL 12, can be had for only $6.99.

4. Angry Birds (Rovio Mobile Ltd.) - Free for most Android phones and iPhones, no list would be complete without this titan of the mobile gaming industry. It's popular for good reason, too. Tight physics puzzle game-play is paired up with a whimsical design and simple controls to make this an addictive game perfect for he mobile platform.  Its a perfect game for the youngest of kids to learn the basics of using an iPad or touch tablet computer.

5.  Tomb Raider – This mobile slot game is based on the popular Tomb Raider game. What we were first able to play on computers and later to see on movies, can now be played on your mobile with chance to win some big money! Enjoy this 5-reel game's graphics and sounds on the Platinum Play or Roxy Palace Casino. Get ready to see Lara Croft on your mobile and maybe even win the $56,250 available jackpot. Once you’re done with this themed slot game, then see this great page for a list of other mobile slots games, just pick the one you like the most!

Best Careers for Gadget Lovers

A range of different gadgets have been around for a couple of decades now. Since their emergence, they have completely transformed the way that people communicate and entertain themselves. While devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops have become a necessity nowadays, they’re also something that can enhance people’s lives in many ways. There is both a technology and art behind such devices that people use on a daily basis that your average person wouldn’t know. On that note, here are some of the best careers for gadget lovers.

1) App Developer

These days, most cell phones, laptops, and tablets consist of a range of different apps. These applications perform several functions, depending on the purpose of the app. With this in mind, you could decide to go into making apps and come up with one of your own.

In order to become an app developer, you’ll need to start by getting the right training and developing specific skills. Some of them include knowing the principles of secure and stable software design, understanding the software development process, and having knowledge of two or more programming languages.

2) Engineer

One of the things that makes a phone amongst other electronics work is the circuit board. By becoming an engineer, you’d have the chance to design such alongside your own electronic circuits.

In order to become an engineer, you’d need to learn about the basics of engineering by getting a degree or self-teaching. If you decide to become a freelancer, getting a license and knowing how to use software like the CircuitStudio available from Altium could help you build your client list and credibility. The more knowledgeable you are, the better it should be for you.

3) Digital Marketing

Another job you could enjoy as a gadget lover is digital marketing. This is because most gadget users have access to the internet, and because of this, they’re a target for businesses. As a digital marketer, you’d be able to learn about as well as engage with tech lovers and users on a daily basis.

4) Game Developer

Another appealing career path for gadget lovers is to go into game design. This would be most appealing to those who enjoy playing games as well as the science behind making them. Becoming a game developer requires that you are great at math, get the right degree, and build a portfolio.

In terms of how difficult it is to become a game developer,  it depends on how much experience you have as well as what niche area you’re pursuing. The only downside to it is that there are often more people applying than there are jobs, so it can be quite competitive. However, once you get your fit into the door, you could be earning anywhere from $70K per year upwards.

As a gadget lover, there are tons of jobs out there that may appeal to you. It’s about finding your niche and being able to identify what makes you tick. In doing so, it’s possible that you’ll be able to find a career that satisfies your love for gadgets and pays the bills as well.

Best Tips for Writing an Essay Conclusion

Writing an essay conclusion is the most important consideration when you are finalizing your essay. The contents of the conclusion state the summary of the whole story of the article. Every story guides the readers by showing the summary of the scenario at the end of the essay. The conclusion will give a glimpse of how the main subject connects with the reality of life. The scenes from the main body will have a short highlight at the end of the article. Here are the best tips to ensure a productive essay conclusion to clarify a point.

What is the Conclusion of an Essay?

The conclusion is the best part of the essay that talks about the summary of the article’s main discussion to buy essay papers online. It seeks to present the main chronology of the essay’s topics in the last part of the article. The writer talks about a brief explanation of the essay’s key points in one paragraph. If the article is long, the conclusion becomes two paragraphs. The conclusion entails the combination of a summary and the main perception of the author, depending on the length and number of topics.

Ways to Write a Conclusion Paragraph

It is important to restructure the conclusion by separating each topic per sentence. The discussion becomes clear for the conclusion part if the author chose to discuss not more than two topics per sentence. The main reason is to avoid confusion for the readers while analyzing the significance of the whole essay’s conclusion for perfect essay writing. An essay that has a combination of concise sentences entices the attention of the readers to understand the value of the overall research topic. One example is to detail the causes of the article’s subject, another sentence for the effects, and the other sentence for the main review of the topic.

Strategies to write a conclusion

One strategy is making an evaluation is a significant part of the essay where the author states their verdict or final say about the subject matter. The conclusion for essays is the last part where the author will make a final testament to the whole discussion of the article. The author must have to evaluate each topic in the research as the finale of the main discussion. Evaluating will help to validate the importance of the subject matter to the researchers and readers. One example is to tell the readers if the subject matter can improve the knowledge of the readers.

The rules of writing an effective essay are not to place any citations in the conclusion of the essay. The conclusion paragraph is one of the few portions of the essay that does not need an in-text citation. Citations only apply in the introduction, literature review, discussion and analysis, data collection, findings, and suggestions that need a valid reference. The conclusion is the part that authors indicate their opinions about the main topic of the essay. Furthermore, citations are important to parts of the essay to explain the relevance of the topic.

Strategies that do not work

Long sentences do not always work. Simplicity is the best, especially when writing an exceptional conclusion. Creating a short sentence in each part of the conclusion provides a clearer perspective of the discussion relating to the subject. The purpose is to prevent the overloading of ideas in the conclusion portion of the essay. A short but clear sentence has at least a maximum of 20 words to conclude an important discussion that affects the structure of the essay. A conclusion example with a sentence with more than 20 words is already a lengthy way of discussing a certain fact due to the possibility of confusion in the paper.

How not to fail in the end

Making an exceptional essay conclusion starts with writing a draft. Authors make practice before finalizing the conclusion of their essays. Creating a draft emphasizes the ability of the author to indicate the first ideas that can possibly integrate with the final output. The reason for creating a draft for a conclusion is to highlight the strongest arguments and the weakest discussions that the author will not include in the final paper. The author can identify mistakes they made from the initial or succeeding drafts before making the final output of the essay.

Creating a craft makes an exceptional conclusion for essay output. The conclusion must have a correct grammatical composition while validating the overall discussion of the paper. Proofreading is the process of making another reading activity for the paper before approving the total output. It highlights the proper use of the eighth speech in the conclusion that can highlight the main argument of the essay. One example is to use a paper to correct the proper words in each sentence to fix grammatical errors. After proofreading, the author is able to highlight the main important points in the conclusion.

Examples of Successful Essay Conclusions

A conclusion must have a strong statement: The conclusion is the last part of the essay that highlights the overall verdict of the subject matter. The author will indicate their agreements of the subject matter’s existence, support, and its argument to confirm the importance of the hypothesis in the discussion. The purpose is to validate the facts and answer the question of the essay that satisfies the curiosity of the main argument. One example is when the author will agree on the significance of a practice that can improve the lifestyle of a person.

Be straight to the point: How to start a conclusion in an essay to support an exceptional essay is to go straight to the point. Authors that always stimulate direct ideas in their arguments can easily catch the attention of the readers. The objective is to drive the concentration of the readers to learn more about the subject matter in the essay. Having an exceptional essay conclusion highlights the shortest but meaningful arguments in each sentence. One example is to use the root word of the main topic without expounding it to side topics. Readers will fully appreciate the ideas and references without struggling to understand the concepts of each argument. If you are still struggling with that task then better buy pre-written essays for sale at EssayKitchen.net, a team of professionals will help you to write an exceptional essay conclusion.

Evaluating your essays or writing essays is not as easy as it sounds. It takes considerable time to research the topic well to come up with a solid conclusion. Reduce your burden with the help of essayadvisor. They write quality essays on a wide range of topics well within the deadline and ensure you get an A grade in your college. 

Implication

            The best tips for writing an exceptional essay conclusion are to keep it short and simple in all aspects of the conclusion. Readers will love reading essays with a meaningful set of ideas without risking their minds to suffer from confusion and misunderstanding in the essay. Writing an exceptional essay conclusion targets the attention of the reader. Making a draft and proofreading the conclusion prevents the risk of committing mistakes in an essay material. The influence of having a good credibility becomes effective when the reader can easily understand and appreciate the main value of the essay in the conclusion.