Coverage Map

Most wireless carriers have a coverage map to show areas, states and regions, that are covered by their service. Altice Mobile launched in September 2019 so a coverage map is essential to convey to potential customers that they are covered like the other big carriers. A coverage map conveys that we are legitimate and can be trusted. We were losing customers because they simply didn’t know what services this new carrier provided. (The only way to find out if a customer lived in an eligible service area was to go through our e-com flow.) As we work to build a true coverage map that you can mouse over to see what services are available, we needed an interim solution. That solution was to create a pseudo-coverage map that looked like the real thing but had a backend that file-based as opposed to database driven. This is my exploration to our pseudo-coverage map.

1. Clarify ask & identify strategy

Ask: Create a coverage map that displayed the services that we provide by zip code. It is interim solution until we get the real map.

Strategy: My strategy was to research how other carriers did their coverage maps.

2. Research & Plan

I researched a combination of carriers, from large, well-established carriers with a higher price point to the smaller, newer lower cost carriers to get an understanding of how they use/display their coverage map. Our coverage included the following services: 5G, Wifi Hotspots, and 4G. This research and the limitations that we could not technically support a robust coverage map would inform my design.

3. Design & Iterate

I created a few options for the coverage map. The options included variations on the placement of the map, service icons, search section and search results. I presented a few options to my director who narrowed down the choices to two. We then presented these options to the director of strategy who approved the designs. My director and I decided on one option to show to the VP of mobile, who had feedback. Once I incorporated their feedback, they approved the design and it was turned over to IT to code.