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FCC Releases Apps To Independently Test The Speed Of Wireless Networks

Looking for real-time data of its own, the FCC (yes, the regulatory body in Washington, D.C.) has released a mobile app for iPhone and Android. Don’t worry, the feds aren’t interested in listening to your phone conversations, rather they say the purpose of the app is to provide “Americans with additional information about heir mobile data connection and to create awareness about the importance of mobile broadband connection quality.”

Essentially, the app clocks how long it takes to download and upload data to the phone. The release of the two apps come just days before the Commission is set to release its new national broadband plan on March 16, which will heavily stress the need for mobile data networks.

The FCC says it may use the data collected from the apps to “analyze coverage and quality on a geographic basis in the U.S.” That means, it may start to have its own information to fact-check the data that carriers give them. While the random tests conducted by random citizens probably can not be considered scientific, it may do just what the Commission intends—make citizens more aware of the speeds they are getting.

When conducting the test on a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Nexus One on T-Mobile’s network in Seattle, results indicated that the 3G network performance was .29 mbps down and .35 mbps up. Tests by an iPhone in Los Angeles and a Verizon Wireless Droid in Seattle blew those results away. The iPhone registered 3G speeds of 1.35 mbps down and .21 mbps up. Verizon’s Droid clocked in at 1.71 mbps down and .82 mbps up.

The tools are also available at Broadband.gov for measuring fixed broadband connections, although to test mine, I just turned WiFi on in my phone. In the future, Digiphile.com reports that the FCC says it will make additional broadband testing apps available for consumer use.

Tricia Duryee

@triciad Mar 11, 2010 7:17 PM ET

Posted In: Legal, Regulatory, FCC, Mobile, Technologies / Formats, 3G, Companies, Apple, iPhone, AT&T, Google, Android, T-Mobile, Verizon

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Tari Akpodiete

Worldwide, it's probably going to be a lot more than the 40 reported at HQ. Each ‘property’ has moderators.

For example. Habbo.ca has Canadian based paid part-time staff who help to keep the hotel safe. They watch for bad language, lewd behaviour, attempted luring of kids by adults, etc. So do Habbo.com, Habbo.co.uk, etc. Usually the ‘mods’ live in the country in which they work, although there is sometimes cross-over.

Generally there 1 or 2 persons in such a role per 4 hour shift, and on a few busy sites, there are 2 or 3. Many of the habbo sites are open 24 hours, so that’s 6 shifts. Over the past few years, Sulake has been cutting back on mod staff, including making 1 person do the work of 2, or 2 people do the work of 4. I know because I used to work at Habbo.ca so I saw it first hand.

Now, almost all the moderation jobs are being outsourced and will be done from one country, not in North America. Either Singapore or the Philipines. It’s uncertain how foreign language hotel moderation will be handled from such locations.

tyril

i think it sucks that habbok does not work cuz i got on 1 time and got cool stuff and it wot let me on anymore!!!

Visa

To clarify the numbers a bit: the plan is to reduce to workforce of the Helsinki office by 40 people. The global figures are not yet decided (or at least not announced). The Sulake companies in Helsinki have approximately 200 employees (20% of 200 = 40). As you said, globally Sulake has about 300 employees.

The Finnish law requires employee/employer negotiations before the company can lay off this many people. The end result of these negotiations can be that another solution is found and there's no need to fire all those people. But we'll see that in a month or so.

- Visa (@roxeteer, whose tweet was mentioned in the article)