The FCC is now encouraging people to use its own internet speed test app that is already free for download on Android and iOS devices. This move is so that the FCC can also collect more accurate data regarding internet speed for its own broadband deployment efforts.
How Do I Complain About Poor Internet?
Jessica Rosenworcel, acting FCC Chairwoman, gave a statement saying this is to close the whole gap between both digital haves and have nots. The FCC is reportedly working to build a more comprehensive and user-friendly datasat when it comes to broadband availability.
It was also said that expanding the whole base of consumers who use the official FCC Speed Test app will reportedly allow them to provide better coverage information towards the public. This will also add to the FCC measurement tools that they are currently developing to show the public where broadband is truly available all throughout the US.
Internet Speed Test
According to the story by Gizmodo, the app just works like any other internet speed tests like Ookla and Google where users can simply click a button and the app will work by itself and measure the user's download and upload speeds.
One advanced thing that Ookla lacks is the ability to be able to track the user's mobile data usage. The FCC also most recently added this towards its app. Like Ookla, the FCC app is also built to provide users with some other measurements like jitter, latency, and packet loss information which not everyone might need. These features, however, could be quite attractive to those into online gaming especially for those playing over the cloud.
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Internet Connection Test
The FCC speed test app has reportedly been around for a number of years as it initially launched in 2013 but only for Android devices and yet again in 2014 for new iOS devices. The main goal of the app was still the same back then and this was to crowdsource both internet and mobile speed data in order to improve the total broadband deployment efforts.
As of the moment, it still isn't clear as to exactly what the FCC has been doing with its data ever since 2014, or if it actually even got enough of the data. However, considering the agency is now really renewing its push to get people to use it, it might suggest that the app has not really been working out like how the FCC hoped it would over the course of the last few years.
For those using their phones to connect to the internet, this could give them really different results as wifi speeds usually vary when it comes to connecting a computer to the Ethernet and when using the phone. Phone connectivity is still quite puzzling so if the FCC actually wants a more comprehensive picture of the whole internet connectivity situation in the United States, it will then need to look at other additional data points as well.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian Buenconsejo
