FCC Opens Broadband Test Utility

When you submit an application for an individual or organization for the Google Fiber for Communities initiative they ask you what your Internet speed is. Well, what if you don’t know? Or more to the point, what is what your Internet Service Provider TELLS you your speed is is different than the ACTUAL speed.

The FCC launched a consumer broadband test on their blog, broadband.gov, yesterday. Internet speeds in the US are often 50% to 80% lower than advertised and its vital consumers have reliable information on the actual performance of their connections. One of the two tools the FCC is using is the Network Diagnostic Tool (NDT), an open source tool hosted on MeasurementLab.net (M-Lab). The validity of NDT can be independently verified, and all data is publicly released. M-Lab hosts other test as wells, such as a test to see if bit torrent is being throttled, or how much bandwidth is available.

So use this bad-boy before filling out your application. Bookmark it and use it to keep your ISP honest.

H/T BoingBoing