A method of monitoring the radio signal strength at a specific location in a radio network having a radio node (5, 7, 9) using a standard mobile handset, comprising the steps of: providing a special access point in the radio network, the special access point comprising an address that may be contacted by the standard mobile handset that will enable the establishment of a communication link, the special access point comprising one of a dedicated telephone number, a URL or like termination point for the communication link; using the standard mobile handset, calling the special access point to create a communication link between the standard mobile handset and the special access point; the special access point answering the call thereby establishing the communication link between the standard mobile handset and the special access point, the communication link being serviced by the radio node; the radio node generating a measurement report containing the downlink measurement indicative of the signal strength from the radio node to the standard mobile handset and the uplink measurement indicative of the signal strength from the standard mobile handset to the radio node; a monitoring unit receiving the measurement report from the radio node; and the monitoring unit determining the signal strength from the measurement report by selecting the lower of the strongest uplink measurement and the strongest downlink measurement received by the standard mobile handset, and thereafter transmitting a signal strength indicator to the standard mobile handset over the communication link between the special access point and the standard mobile handset; and in which the method comprises the additional steps of: providing a plan layout of a location with a plurality of measurement points indicated thereon to an operator of the standard mobile handset; the operator of the standard mobile handset transporting the standard mobile handset to each of the measurement points; capturing the downlink measurement and the uplink measurement at each of the measurement points and generating a measurement report for each of the measurement points; and the monitoring unit generating a radio coverage map of the location based on the generated measurement reports. providing a special access point in the radio network, the special access point comprising an address that may be contacted by the standard mobile handset that will enable the establishment of a communication link, the special access point comprising one of a dedicated telephone number, a URL or like termination point for the communication link; using the standard mobile handset, calling the special access point to create a communication link between the standard mobile handset and the special access point; the special access point answering the call thereby establishing the communication link between the standard mobile handset and the special access point, the communication link being serviced by the radio node; the radio node generating a measurement report containing the downlink measurement indicative of the signal strength from the radio node to the standard mobile handset and the uplink measurement indicative of the signal strength from the standard mobile handset to the radio node; a monitoring unit receiving the measurement report from the radio node; and the monitoring unit determining the signal strength from the measurement report by selecting the lower of the strongest uplink measurement and the strongest downlink measurement received by the standard mobile handset, and thereafter transmitting a signal strength indicator to the standard mobile handset over the communication link between the special access point and the standard mobile handset; providing a plan layout of a location with a plurality of measurement points indicated thereon to an operator of the standard mobile handset; the operator of the standard mobile handset transporting the standard mobile handset to each of the measurement points; capturing the downlink measurement and the uplink measurement at each of the measurement points and generating a measurement report for each of the measurement points; and the monitoring unit generating a radio coverage map of the location based on the generated measurement reports.