Cell coverage image courtesy of Root Wireless

Interesting item by John Cook over on TechFlash...

Startup pinpoints the good, bad and ugly of wireless networks

CNET partnered with a firm named Root Wireless to collect data about cell phone coverage in 8 metro areas: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, and California's Orange County. Data collection includes average signal strength and number of bars (which some of us consider near useless), data connectivity and throughput, and issues such as dropped calls/failed data connections. According to CNET's own announcement about this project...

CNET to add phone service data to handset reviews

...real world data collection (as opposed to "imaginary worlds" I suppose :-) is underway with plans to release information in January 2010. It is too bad the data won't be available before the holiday gift buying and giving season. It would be a great way to choose a phone while considering actual coverage data.