MeasuringBroadbandAmerica
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FCC report checks if your internet speed lives up to the ads, and why that's not fast enough
Since 2011 the FCC has collected data on the wired (there's a separate report for wireless) broadband speeds US residents are actually receiving to release in its Measuring Broadband America report, and now the most recent one is here. First, the good news -- based on its data (collected from "Whitebox" devices sent to around 10,000 participants that performed automated tests during September 2013), most ISPs were meeting or exceeding their advertised speeds even during peak hours. Four that couldn't deliver 90 percent or more of their advertised rate during peak hours included Verizon, Frontier, Qwest and Windstream -- all of which can expect a letter from the FCC asking why not, for whatever good that will do. So if ISPs are delivering 101 percent of advertised speeds, why are users still seeing buffering notifications and experiencing slowdowns? [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
FCC Speed Test app for iOS lets the government track your iPhone's network performance
Downloading an app from the federal government might not top your list of priorities at the moment, but if you're looking to tick that public service box without a need to worry about measly pay, background checks and furloughs, the FCC could sure use your help. That org's latest venture, the FCC Speed Test app for iOS, delivers yet another connectivity benchmark tool to iPhone and iPad users. This free download also benefits the government's Measuring Broadband America program, however, enabling the FCC to build out a public database of network performance across the country. Unlike its Android counterpart, this iOS app doesn't test performance in the background, so you'll need to fire it up to see how well your cellular or WiFi connection is doing. It's available from the App Store today.
FCC to begin testing and reporting mobile broadband performance
Just like the FCC is looking to the public to help define modern broadband, it's similarly planning to arm citizens with more accurate information of mobile broadband speeds. The initiative is promoted as a natural extension of the Measuring Broadband America report, an annual publication of the FCC that currently only applies to wireline services. While still in the planning stages, the agency has already secured cooperation from CTIA and the major carriers. Come September 21st, the FCC will hold an open meeting to discuss the most appropriate methods for gathering and analyzing the data. It'll likely be a rather dry affair, but if you're really keen on attending, you'll find the complete details after the break.
