FCC Speed Test

Category
Utilities

Description of App

What does it do?
The FCC Speed Test app accurately measures your mobile broadband performance and displays an in-depth view of its factors (e.g. download and upload speed,
latency, and packet loss).

Why download it?
Learn about your mobile broadband performance in one click. Track it over time.

What about privacy?
No personally-identifiable information is collected whatsoever. Testing is totally anonymous.

Still curious? Read below for more detail.

Mobile broadband has become part of our everyday infrastructure. We hope the app helps provide greater clarity about your mobile broadband performance.

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.

Privacy is paramount. The FCC has taken significant measures to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of volunteers for this program. Using privacy measures
developed and reviewed by a diverse team of privacy experts, any data that could potentially identify specific smartphones is analyzed and processed to
ensure privacy protection.

How does this help you?

•Run manual tests on Download Speed, Upload Speed, Latency and Packet Loss. (Make sure to disable Wi-Fi before testing cellular broadband speeds.)
•Additional passive metrics collected such as Carrier, Country Code and GPS location.
•Access real-time performance data on your device.
•Historical results available at the touch of a screen.
•Be a volunteer! You can help the FCC’s Measuring Broadband America program in developing the first open and transparent information on mobile broadband
performance in the United States.
•By default, there is a 100 MB limit per month but this can be changed according to your preference--always consider your broadband usage carefully on
limited data allowance plans.
•The app is ad-free.

 

Version

1.6.0

Free or Paid

Free

Apple Watch Support

Not Known

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone

Accessibility Comments

There are definetly some issues but there are just enough to make use of it.

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads a few page elements.

Button Labeling

Most buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

There are some accessibility issues with this app, but it can still be used if you are willing to tolerate these issues and learn how to work around them.

Other Comments

Upon opening this app for the first time. You will find yourself in a series of Licenses and Agreement pages. I found this to be very difficult and many will simply save yourself in the hassle by having a sighted friend help you out in this section. There are unlabel images link at the bottom of each pages that you must tap on. I beleve there are like 3 or 4 pages that you must go through to get this set up for the first time. Thankfully, once this has been completed. You will no longer have to worry about dealing with those pages. Once you have made it to the Main Page of the app. You will need to look around and give some of the buttons a try. There is one unlabel button towards the top. However, for the most part it is easily understanable in what they do. There are some elements that don't simply work but if all you want to know is your bandwidth speed. It will work just that. One of the nice thing I do like about this is that you can either select a certain test or do them all. The test they offer are the download, upload, latency and packet loss. I really love the latency and packet loss test. This is something you will not find often. The testing so far that I have tried have seem to be very accurate. It is unfortunet that some things will not work because it is not fully accessible. Certain things will be missing from the VO and such. For being FREE and if you just want to know the bandwidth of something. I really like in what I've seen. I can only hope that the developer will consider in making this more accessible for us to use.

App Store Link

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fcc-speed-test/id794322383?mt=8

Developer's Website

http://www.measuringbroadbandamerica.com/

Developer's Twitter Username

@samknows

Options

Comments

By Toonhead on Monday, February 24, 2014 - 02:26

I've got this app, but can't seem to find a way to get past the license terms and agreements and stuff. I feel like I'm going in circles...

By Isaac Hebert (not verified) on Monday, February 24, 2014 - 02:26

I am having the same problem.

By Toonhead on Monday, February 24, 2014 - 02:26

Glad I'm not the only one with this issue. So, any tips on getting to the app's actual interface would be great. I'm still going in circles with the agreements and terms.

By AnonyMouse on Monday, February 24, 2014 - 02:26

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team
As mentioned in my comment. Most people will find this part difficult and will most likely will need to have a sighted person in helping you past the agreement section. Sorry that this is not much in a way to help you out.