At the GSMA Mobile World Congress, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced the launch of the FCC Speed Test app for iOS devices in the iTunes App Store. The FCC Speed Test app is an expansion of the Measuring Broadband America program from fixed to mobile broadband.
The Measuring Broadband America program, which has released three reports on fixed broadband networks, is a private-public partnership designed to bring greater clarity and competition to the broadband service marketplace. Testing data will provide valuable information to consumers, industry,
and the Commission on the deployment of networks across the United States.
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In November, the Commission unveiled its first public version of the FCC Speed Test app for Android smartphones in the Google Play store. The FCC Speed Test app for iPhone users is now available in the App Store on iTunes. The iOS release is the latest step in the Commission’s efforts to crowdsource mobile broadband performance data for the mobile Measuring Broadband America program.
Unlike the Android app, the iOS app cannot run periodically in the background. However, volunteers can test their cellular and Wi-Fi network performance manually to receive an on-demand view of upload and download speed, latency, and packet loss. No personal or uniquely identifiable information is collected.
The data collected by the app is useful in informing users regarding their own performance and also supports the Commission’s open broadband data program, contributing to the information made freely available to the public on the nation’s mobile broadband performance in reports, maps, datasets and other forms. The data is valuable in informing the Commission’s fact-based decision-making on broadband policy issues.
To learn more about the FCC Speed Test for iPhone and for Android, visit http://www.fcc.gov/measuring-broadband-america/mobile.
FCC Speed Test is available as an universal app ( iPhone and iPad ) on the App Store