Over the weekend Speedtest.net has released a very interesting tool that has the potential to provide useful real world results for consumers. For those of you unfamiliar with this site, it allows you to test your connection speed to see your real world latency, download and upload speeds. This information is particularly useful for people wondering if "an antenna will help" them to increase their performance at their location. We've all seen the carriers make claims at the fastest 3G network and we now have a tool to see if the carrier can back up their claims!
If you'd like to participate, we've created some different waves to see how you stack up against other users. This service is FREE, and we welcome all to participate to help build the most accurate depiction of wireless providers and the real world speeds they deliver. Please select your carrier from the list and click on "Join this Wave". You can then run a speedtest and you'll be able to see your stats as well as the average download, upload and latency results for your wireless carrier. You may also click on the competitors SpeedWave to see their average results, but please don't run a test if you're not on that carrier so we can have the most accurate depiction for each carrier.
Join a 3G/4G SpeedWave:
- Click to enter Verizon 3G SpeedWave
- Click to enter Verizon 4G LTE SpeedWave
- Click to enter Sprint/Clear 3G SpeedWave
- Click to enter Sprint/Clear 4G WiMAX SpeedWave
- Click to enter AT&T 3G SpeedWave
- Click to enter T-Mobile SpeedWave
This is a community project and will allow anybody that has a 3G or 4G phone/datacard to participate by running a speedtest to contribute. The results are then stored by country, region, cities, ISP and browsers giving you detailed stats to see where the tests have occurred and the results. You'll be able to see the average download, upload and ping times to get a more accurate depiction to see what type of real world performance you can expect from the carrier of your choice. Below is a screenshot of a SpeedWave started as an example.
When you enter Speedtest.net you'll have the ability to create an account, which will allow you to to keep track of your stats and gives you an icon that rates your connection within several sub categories. Here are the following categories you can fall into for bragging rights or let you know if it's time to switch providers!
SpeedWave Badge Winners:
- Champion of the Internet - Best combined download/upload speeds
- Touchdown - Fastest download speed
- 1-UP - Fastest upload speed
- Punctual - Best latency
- Sprint - Shortest distance tested
- First Loser - Second best combined download/upload speeds
- Marathon - Longest distance tested
- Snail Mail - Worst latency performance
- No Return - Worst upload performance
- Sad Panda - Worst download speed
- Loser - Worst combined download/upload speeds
Screenshot of Badge Winners
Related Links:
- Check Coverage With 3Gstore's 3G/4G Coverage Map
- Order Verizon 3G/4G Wireless Modems
- Order Sprint 3G/4G Wireless Modems
- Will An Antenna Help Me?
- Discuss on EVDOForums
