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>In a public notice, the FCC cited recent Ookla data Why is the FCC using Ookla when they built their own speed test app? https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-enc

by 1970-01-01 4y ago

>In a public notice, the FCC cited recent Ookla data Why is the FCC using Ookla when they built their own speed test app? https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-encourages-public-use-its-speed-test-app https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-encourages-public-use-its-s...

pwinnski 4y ago
Because people independently choose to use Ookla, it's very popular. Few people use the FCC's app, which depend on people at the locations using it to provide data.
peeters 4y ago
Because if a statistically insufficient number of people are using that app, the data shouldn't be used for decision making.
jcrawfordor 4y ago
FCC's app is a white-labeled test on contract from SamKnows. FCC also has contracts with Ookla for use of their data. From the FCC's perspective they seem to just be using data across multiple vendors for more coverage, but Ookla is the biggest player and has a lot more data points on offer than SamKnows.
vardump 4y ago
One issue: I don't know about others, but personally I'm way more likely to check Ookla's Speedtest when the connection is bad, to see whether my connection got an issue. Not when it works as expected.
function_seven 4y ago
I never heard of FCC's own speed test app. So I tried to use it. 1. Apparently I have to install an app on my phone. I can't use a web-based tool from my desktop. (I was thinking there must be a version for regular computer users, right?) 2. Thinking I missed something, I searched for "FCC speed test". The results all point back to this app. 3. On a whim, I tried visiting speedtest.fcc.gov. Of course nothing lives there. Why is FCC bothering with this if they're going to obscure it behind app stores? Seems like a way to only get outlier users.
- wmf 4y ago
  I think that app is intended to measure cellular carriers. To measure wired broadband they used SamKnows routers instead of an app.
rsynnott 4y ago
I'd assume approximately no-one uses the FCC one, so they wouldn't have statistically useful data. Ookla's probably about as good as it gets.

pwinnski 4y ago

Because people independently choose to use Ookla, it's very popular. Few people use the FCC's app, which depend on people at the locations using it to provide data.

peeters 4y ago

Because if a statistically insufficient number of people are using that app, the data shouldn't be used for decision making.

jcrawfordor 4y ago

FCC's app is a white-labeled test on contract from SamKnows. FCC also has contracts with Ookla for use of their data. From the FCC's perspective they seem to just be using data across multiple vendors for more coverage, but Ookla is the biggest player and has a lot more data points on offer than SamKnows.

vardump 4y ago

One issue: I don't know about others, but personally I'm way more likely to check Ookla's Speedtest when the connection is bad, to see whether my connection got an issue. Not when it works as expected.

function_seven 4y ago

I never heard of FCC's own speed test app. So I tried to use it. 1. Apparently I have to install an app on my phone. I can't use a web-based tool from my desktop. (I was thinking there must be a version for regular computer users, right?) 2. Thinking I missed something, I searched for "FCC speed test". The results all point back to this app. 3. On a whim, I tried visiting speedtest.fcc.gov. Of course nothing lives there. Why is FCC bothering with this if they're going to obscure it behind app stores? Seems like a way to only get outlier users.

wmf 4y ago
I think that app is intended to measure cellular carriers. To measure wired broadband they used SamKnows routers instead of an app.

rsynnott 4y ago

I'd assume approximately no-one uses the FCC one, so they wouldn't have statistically useful data. Ookla's probably about as good as it gets.