• Wireleast

  New York’s cell-phone service is a global laughingstock, so naming the crummiest service isn’t easy. But according to DeadCellZones.com, which tabulates reports of deadspots, AT&T Wireless has 229 in the five boroughs (admittedly, not much worse than the rumored “best,” Verizon, at 204). On the surveys of J.D. Power & Associates, AT&T and Cingular tie for last, except in the area of billing. By these measures—as well as because its system always seems to go straight to voice mail—our irritated vote goes to . . . AT&T Wireless. Maybe the Cingular-AT&T merger will help. Or not. —Tom Samiljan

From the 2004 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine