There are various reasons why you might want to have the ability to measure a variety of stats relating to your broadband connection. When you are paying for a broadband connection, you will want to know that you are getting what you have paid for in terms of connection speed. If you have a restricted amount of bandwidth each month then you will also need to monitor how much of that allowance you have been using. Mobile apps can be a great way to monitor both your broadband usage and your performance. Let’s take a look at some of the apps that are available for this purpose.
Speedtest.net Mobile Speed Test
Speedtest.net have been one of the most popular sites for testing internet speed connections for several years and now they are also offering an app for testing the speed of mobile internet connection. It is pretty much the go to app for iPhone users and it also has a pretty big following among Android users as well. This quick and easy test can let you know if your internet provider is really offering you the speed of broadband connection that they have promised and can be very helpful if you suspect that you are not getting what you have paid for.
Verizon My FiOS
If you happen to have subscribed to your internet services via one of the many Verizon bundles that are available, then you will no doubt find the Verizon My FiOS app useful. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices and allows you to monitor your usage and manage your account right from your smartphone. The app can be used to pay your bill, redeem rewards points and monitor your monthly usage. The app is free of charge and available to all Verizon FiOS Broadband customer.
SamKnows Mobile Whitebox
The SamKnows app was actually designed in partnership with the FCC and some of the United States’ top mobile providers. It measures a variety of broadband stats including the following:
- download speeds
- upload speeds
- latency
- packet loss
- jitter
- additional passive metrics
The app is available for both iOS and Android, with the Android version able to run in the background while you are using your phone. This is great for building up a long term picture of your broadband connection’s performance without much effort on your part!
Traffic Monitor
Another useful app which is available in the Apple App store for iOS devices is Traffic Monitor. This in a mobile speed test and data usage widget which can be downloaded free of charge. It offers an at a glance look at both speed and performance.
These are just a handful of the apps that you can choose from in order to monitor the speed of your internet connection or keep tab on your data usage. It is worth noting that although most internet providers do offer apps like this, it is sometimes best to download a back up from an independent source, just to verify what your ISP is suggesting. After all, your provider has good reason to fudge connection speed figures, so why not put your mind at rest by checking the results from more than one app to get an accurate reading.
image via chipchick
