Abstract: An apparatus and method by which a terrestrial based or satellite based cellular telephone is tested in-service, preferably at a retailer location, to identify the source of a cellular telephone user's dissatisfaction and to aid the retailer in resolving the issue. Test equipment is embedded within the cellular telephone network to captures currently available but unrecognized information relating to cellular telephone operation from a known location, i.e. the retailer's location, having known performance parameters. In this way, network related problems, such as fading, are eliminated. This allows cellular telephone performance to be evaluated and further allows various cellular telephone functions to be simulated. The invention thus allows identification of the nature of cellular telephone user dissatisfaction.