This app was mentioned in 29 comments, with an average of 2.69 upvotes
FCC to the rescue: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc&hl=en
You can configure a data cap monthly for their speed test and it uses much less data per run. Disable the auto test feature.
You can compare with FCC speed test app. Right now in South Bay not that far from you:
Ookla speedtest.net app: 10.95 down, 8.66 up, 30 ping
FCC app: 10.13 down, 9.59 up, 49 ping
Try using the FCC speed test app (by SamKnows, a UK company), it's much better, and actually uses proper methodology to perform its tests, unlike the broken-by-design Speedtest.net.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
I don't know of a test app that can limit file sizes, but the FCC Speed Test app (Play Store) lets you toggle uploads and downloads only, as well as jitter and ping.
This app seems to report consistently slower overall speeds versus Ookla, DSL Reports or Netflix test sites, though.
I'm on sprint, just thought I'd share some numbers. Note I'm in a college town and classes don't resume for another 9 days, so the network is presumably far below normal capacity.
Download: 7.96Mbps
Upload: 5.50Mbps
Latency: 78ms
Collected with the FCC Speedtest App for Android
I'm grandfathered in to an unlimited data plan, so I use data pretty frequently. I'd say it mostly works well. Fastest I've seen was 33Mbps down in a town outside Chicago. Slowest speeds, you can watch text load. It literally gets below 56kbps on their 3G network.
Edit:spelling
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc I HAD an issue where my speed was highly variable from 300mbps down to 30, SS tech support had me do a network reset then a factory reset, problem would come and go. After multiple resets I was ready to give up on the phone, one of the updates seems to have corrected the issue
FYI - the FCC Speed Test app anonymously aids the tracking of network providers, and may be the reason that one of the honest public servants hold the companies accountable who've oversold their networks and left paying customers in the cold.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc&hl=en_US&gl=US
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc That's the one I use but it's for the phone. That's the Play Store link. Maybe set it up on a tablet plugged up to the charger while your away? I'm not sure of one for the desktop.
Switch to Wi-Fi calling.
If it's better on Wi-Fi, it's the Visible mobile connection, which is bottom of the barrell in priority by verizon. If you install the FCC Speed Test app, you'll likely see poor numbers for Latency, Jitter and/or Packet Loss.
If you have no choice but to use the verizon towers, consider getting a postpaid account from them. When verizon tower congestion occurs, their postpaid customers really do get higher quality service.
This is very cool. I'd like to add that the FCC is doing something similar, but more focused on the speed of the service, check it out and download it of you feel convinced:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
Official FCC Speed Test App for the Measuring Broadband America program.
Has scheduled background speed tests and GPS logging. Lots of great statistics, charts, and maps. Helps the FCC crack down on broadband providers that are BSing them with fake speed stats.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
I know this is just going to be buried, but the FCC actually has a smart phone app that allows you to schedule speed tests at regular intervals and gives you the ability to send those speed tests to them with the location they were taken, the goal being to provide an accurate map.of nation-wide internet speeds and the reach of an ISP. There's a small chance it could be used down the line to hold ISP's more accountable for failure to provide advertised speeds.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
It's simply Because Science™. Sure, you may go an extra mile, ignore the broken geolocation detection of the "closest" server, but most folks who use ookla's speedtest.net wouldn't bother — and why should they? It's ookla's fault, as simple as that. I would imagine most folks aren't even aware that something that's called SPEEDTEST™ could possibly even have such a major deficiency — I mean, why would a "reputable" major company do such bullshit, right?!
At least speedtests on other wireless carriers provide the bandwidth spec that you're getting, but, on Cricket, you'll either be getting about 8Mbps, or you'll be congested, so, speed tests don't really show anything useful.
So, NO, it wouldn't give much baseline at all; especially not if most posts would use the default geolocation (and if we have to explain how to "fix" speedtest.net, then why not simply explain how not to use it in the first place?).
If you're too lazy to get the traceroute test results as text, you can still post screenshots (which could also include a speedtest of your choice — as long as do you provide the traceroute info that we request — and if you're looking for a good speed test, I found the "FCC Speed Test" by SamKnows (<code>com.samknows.fcc</code>) to actually detect the closest server based on your connectivity, which works great for something like Cricket, where it automatically detected me in SJC or LAX back in the day where it was about the only PGW regardless of your location, and produced correct latency results without any babysitting).
We DO care about the quality of info here. We don't care about quantity. You're welcome to participate, but it does indeed require a bit of effort.
Huh, you're right. Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
Looks pretty sophisticated. Open source, too: https://github.com/SamKnows/skandroid-fcc
Try using FCC speed test. It's suppose to be lighter on data usage and helps contribute to them averaging US speeds. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc&hl=en
Didn't they make an open source app commissioned through the Measuring Broadband America program to monitor this stuff? Can't they just... you know... use it? Like have it live update a map based on what people measure? I don't get it. What did $300 million buy exactly? Seems like such a thing could be done for a few thousand bucks.
Developer makes an app. Maybe 40 hrs of work. Check:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
https://github.com/SamKnows/skandroid-fcc
Makes a server-side component to aggregate the data and display a heatmap. Another few thousand bucks. Use Linux. Don't use Apache Struts.
Host a server instance on Digital Ocean for $5/month. Done
The FCC has a speed test app to measure ISP speeds to compare with what the ISP is actually giving.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
What's the difference between FCC app and Sam Knows app?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc&hl=en
The amount of times this data has been used? Probably nil. It's been out awhile.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) actually has a Speed Test App:
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fcc-speed-test/id794322383?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc&hl=en
Info: https://www.fcc.gov/general/measuring-mobile-broadband-performance
Methodology: https://www.fcc.gov/general/measuring-mobile-broadband-methodology-technical-summary
Consumer Tip Sheet: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/fcc-speed-test-app-tip-sheet
How about a test which actually makes a difference?
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission made a mobile app to measure and submit benchmarks for review.
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc
iOS
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fcc-speed-test/id794322383?mt=8
Apart of the FCC's Measuring Broadband America Program. Technical Summary:
http://www.fcc.gov/measuring-broadband-america/mobile/technical-summary.html
https://www.measuringbroadbandamerica.com/
Source code:
https://github.com/FCC/mobile-mba-androidapp
https://github.com/SamKnows/skandroid-fcc
The iOS source is another repo in that SamKnows group. Looks like they were contracted out of London for the tin foil hatters.
Try FCC speed test.
The FCC also has a Mobile Speed Test App:
> Once installed, the app will run periodically in the background. It will automatically perform tests on the mobile network you are connected to (cellular or Wi-Fi) when you aren’t using your smartphone. Aggregated, anonymous data will also help us build a map of mobile broadband performance across the country.
> Once installed, you can test your mobile broadband performance at the touch of a button. Aggregated, anonymous data will also help us build a map of mobile broadband performance across the country.
Note: Unlike the Android App, the iOS App does not support background testing.
The bot linked the wrong app here is the app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samknows.fcc