Operation Chokehold: Suffocating AT&T

As an iPhone user that is frequently frustrated with lousy network coverage and dropped calls, this post from the Secret Diary of Steve Jobs outlining Operation Chokehold seems like a pretty fun idea:

Subject: Operation Chokehold
On Friday, December 18, at noon Pacific time, we will attempt to overwhelm the AT&T data network and bring it to its knees. The goal is to have every iPhone user (or as many as we can) turn on a data intensive app and run that app for one solid hour. Send the message to AT&T that we are sick of their substandard network and sick of their abusive comments. THe idea is we’ll create a digital flash mob. We’re calling it in Operation Chokehold. Join us and speak truth to power!

Digital flash mob!!??  I love it.  Think this idea has any traction?  Any prayer of success?  I wonder how many iPhone users it would take participating to seriously clog the network.  I doubt this could ever actually work, but at least the idea gives me some satisfaction as an annoyed AT&T customer...

And seriously, Apple: get some new network providers.  AT&T may be giving you huge subsidies on the phone, but they're not doing you any favors when it comes to actual service.

UPDATE: Well, I just saw this in the New York Times.  Perhaps it is time to reconsider my iPhone as the other providers catch up.  Anybody have a Droid yet?

When I set about looking for independent data, however, to confirm the superior performance of Verizon’s network, I was astonished to discover that I had managed to get things exactly wrong. Despite the well-publicized problems in New York and San Francisco, AT&T seems to have the superior network nationwide.

And the iPhone itself may not be so great after all. Its design is contributing to performance problems.