FCC releases Internet speed test tool
WASHINGTON |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday launched a broadband test service to help consumers clock the speed of their Internet.
Located at the site www.broadband.gov, the test is aimed at allowing consumers to compare their actual speeds with the speeds advertised by their providers.
The FCC release follows an FCC meeting in September where officials said that actual speeds were estimated to lag by as much as 50 percent during busy hours.
"The FCC's new digital tools will arm users with real-time information about their broadband connection and the agency with useful data about service across the country," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement.
The FCC is also collecting information about where broadband is not available. Consumers can email the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov or call the FCC.
(Reporting by John Poirier; Editing by Bernard Orr)
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When I want to run a test it asks me for private information, like my street address.
You will find that a single test may not address all the variables in internet connectivity.
I got to see my results (up/down), but it required a java download afterwards.
I’m just confused before running the test on what is actually tested. On the first statement:
“The Recovery Act authorizes the FCC to create a National Broadband Plan, that “shall seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.“
So they test if you have broadband or not. What is the qualification for this?
Reporting on the facts might be better than just “relaying info“
ie, If I’m in cali, and my route is through NOT my provider in dallas, and they have issues, then pass off to say atlanta, and they have issues on the route…. Are they going to say it’s my ISP (which it would clearly not be)
Sorry, not going to update my 3 week old java just to run this.
2) you don’t have to put a number in the street address field to access the test
3) you don’t need broadband.gov to test your speed: they’re using the services (at least when I visited) of speedtest.net, a reputable (free) speed benchmarking provider.
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