FCC Releases Internet Speed Test Tool
The FCC is striking back at ISPs with your help.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is striking back at ISP marketing practices by offering a free tool to consumers. Located here, the tool allows consumers to clock the speed of their Internet connection so that the FCC can compare the findings with ISP speed claims.
"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. “These tools help eliminate confusion and make the market work more effectively."
According to Reuters, the new digital tools follow an earlier FCC meeting back in September 2009. The FCC said that despite ISP claims, actual Internet speeds were estimated to lag as much as 50-percent during busy hours.
In addition to the broadband test, the FCC's new website also provides a way for consumers to report that they do not have broadband access in their area.
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In a few months, ATT will be sued by FCC for not providing speeds it claims in has.
They will have to market the heck out of this in order for people to use it. Everyone I know just defaults to www.speedtest.net.
1. Now that they have this tool out, will the FCC actually listen to any feedback and pursue ISP's who don't live up to their claims?
2. Is this just a study of some sort? Are the FCC not allowed to use existing databases like Speedtest.net?
3. Doesn't it say all over an ISP's EULA that the speeds are "UP TO ***Mbps" and that throughput "MAY BE LESS" under extreme usage?
Seems like a government spending project to me. Then again, most people need something to complain about, and refuse to RTFM...
I don't need a tool to tell me that my internet connection is much slower than it should be.
Cablevision/Optimum is sooo screwed now.....
/me waits for the government take over of ISPs and downloads the soviet national anthem while he still has internet access...
it's
Nooo, now I can be even more sure of how much my only choice of an ISP is under-performing.
already see a problem with it.
its speed isn't accurate.
http://www.speedtest.net/ shows me at 25mb down on various server. which is correct.
this test clocks on at 8. so they are gathering incorrect data?
it's to bad that you can't pick the testing site like speedtest.net
what happened to the link? there was a link to the site in the article..now its gone
Welcome to yesterday on every other tech news site.
Seems like a stand alone app would be more reliable than something using flash, but what servers does it connect to and where?
Wow the FCC actually doing something useful and good.
In a few months, ATT will be sued by FCC for not providing speeds it claims in has.
You are probably right, and then we'll get passed along the cost and/or people will lose jobs.
How come when I click on the "show" button, it never works anymore?
I've noticed this since a few days ago. Maybe there has already been a discussion about it?
I've tried it on both firefox and IE and both browsers have the same problem.
Sorry to post off-topic, but this is bugging me.
i just ran it on my cablevision/optimum. full speeds all the time like normal. just use speedtest.net. actually load the page within a few secs, unlike this government garbage
I work for an ISP's IHD, if your not getting the internet connection speed that you signed up for you should really contact your IHD. All ISP's usually have a requirement that your connection speed be within 70-85% of your provisioned speed (the speed you signed up for). If your not within that range then they should issue a repair ticket to have someone look into it.
About time someone steps in gives a standard tool we can measure with. I have questioned Comcast's rated speeds for some time. I am told I have 12 megabit downloads. By my own real world tests, I'll see that speed every once in a while, the other 99% of the time I see a steady 8 megabits. I have their rated speeds in theory, but it stretches the "up to" motto quite a bit.
seems pretty accurate to me, though the 2 different engines gave different results (probably due to the server location, etc) but they were relatively all in the same ballpark as speedtest.com
How come when I click on the "show" button, it never works anymore?I've noticed this since a few days ago. Maybe there has already been a discussion about it?I've tried it on both firefox and IE and both browsers have the same problem.Sorry to post off-topic, but this is bugging me.
Me too. This problem is similar to one I'm having on a couple of other sites that offer user feedback and comments. An ad-blocker maybe?
i have at&t, and mine ran at acceptable speeds. wonder how good ol' hughes net runs...
I don't like it. They want your address just to test your broadband speed. Why? Other sites can identify your ISP and test your speed without that info. I'm going to stick with speedtest.net.
Plus, broadband.gov is so slow to load (for me). It loads most of the way, but then the little circle keeps spinning... and spinning... and spinning while a few images never load. This is in IE and Firefox on either of my two PCs. I guess they do have a beta disclaimer at the bottom of the homepage, but still!
Error Occured During the run:
Error: Server Busy: Too many clients waiting in server queue. Please try again later.
I'm not sure where this is going to go... All I see happening is if the destination site is the FCC monitoring site, the traffic gets high priority, otherwise its regular priority. Thus, to the FCC, everything will look normal...
HAHAHAHAH!
This is what I got when I attempted to use the tool.
Error Occured During the run:
Error: Server Busy: Too many clients waiting in server queue. Please try again later.
Ironic isn't it?
Paying for 18MBps and currently receiving 10MBps. 10MBps is plenty for me but if I switched to the 12MBps plan the speeds would drop to 6 or 7MBps. I don't think I've ever actually received the speed that I pay for. Oh well.
everyone is saying they are just using speedtest.net guess what so is that government site. the speedtest.net site is operated by ookla net metrics. so is the government site they just threw there name on it and as to the address they just didnt use net metrics gui and are using that to ping to the closest server in your area
They want my address before I can even use the tool. I don't thinks so!
Their mission is very different than that which they have declared.
Me too. This problem is similar to one I'm having on a couple of other sites that offer user feedback and comments. An ad-blocker maybe?
No clue, it's just weird because I have never had this problem until fairly recently.
How come when I click on the "show" button, it never works anymore?I've noticed this since a few days ago. Maybe there has already been a discussion about it?I've tried it on both firefox and IE and both browsers have the same problem.Sorry to post off-topic, but this is bugging me.
I thought it was a problem on my end lol
The site requires flash...damn you Apple. Well At&t is off the hook from their network. Apples conspiracy to keep the FCC off their back with the iPhone