How do You Test Mobile Broadband Speeds?
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What tool do you use to benchmark your Internet connection speed? If you’re on a desktop, I know many of you use SpeedTest. But what about your mobile web experience? If you’re on an Edge connection, are you getting true Edge speeds? What about if you’re on a 3G connection, or even wifi?
iNetwork Test began with the creation of a basic iPhone web application that inferentially measured the speed of the network the device was connected to. The interest in the application was overwhelming with over half a million results collected to date. The need for reliable, easy to use mobile network testing solutions is one that will continue to grow as more mobile devices infiltrate the marketplace and newer, faster networks come online.
iNetwork Test is developing a suite of solutions for a variety of platforms starting with the iPhone and Android platforms. These tests are more reliable providing a true speed measurement at the lowest possible level of the stack as allowed by the various software development kits.
This service is free. Simply click “start test”, and a few seconds later it gives you results. It will ask you how you’re connected to the Internet, and gives you a more detailed answer based on your connection type. If there’s a question on whether or not you’re getting the speeds you are supposed to, this service will help. Doing one-offs isn’t really the best idea, because it won’t give you a good representation of your average speeds. Run the test at different times during the day. Try to keep as many variables the same as possible, also.
Also on the site, you can view other people’s connection speed results. Are people in your locale getting the same kinds of speeds as you? If not, you’ll know there could be a problem with your service that may needs to be addressed.
To my knowledge, this service is the only one that works for testing out your 3G and even Edge speeds. Maybe you know of something else? If you do, let me know about it, and I’ll be happy to check it out.
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4 Comments
Useful Habits
July 23rd, 2008
at 8:51pm
Why I Hate Salespeople: AT&T Pisses Me Off Is the iPhone 3G Worth Buying? Thoughts on Apple’s WWDC 2008, iPhone 3G? Cruise Ship Internet Optimize Your ISPs Slow Internet Connection The Comcast Virus ChrisHow do You Test Mobile Broadband Speeds?
YOUTHERE1.com's Web Articles
July 16th, 2008
at 2:59pm
connection speed? If you’re on a desktop, I know many of you use SpeedTest. But what about your mobile web experience? If you’re on an Edge connection, are you getting true Edge speeds? What about if you’re on a 3G connection, or even WiFi?”read more| digg story
Zetacon
July 17th, 2008
at 8:04am
Speed Test is very popular on a desktop, but now Firefox has their own plug-in to test internet connection speeds. It has the ability to * “measure the bandwidth of Internet connections and perform diagnostic tests (connectivity, ping and traceroute etc)”. I use it and it gives me a good idea of my speeds on a good day, as well as having the ability of pinging a website without having to open a command prompt.
*quoted from the Mozilla website.
Borat
July 17th, 2008
at 4:11pm
what if you are on a PSP that is on wi-fi?.
i use my sister’s PSP for wi-fi and it is kinda fun. i jsut can’t watch youtube videos or any of that fun stuff