Getting To Know Your Wireless Network Speed

Having a data plan on our smartphones and other mobile devices is a great thing but do you know what kind of speed you’re getting and what kind of speed you SHOULD be getting?

Users should get to know their network to make the best of their user experience, so where should they start?

The best way to get to know your speed is by downloading the SpeedTest app from Ookla. Here’s a screenshot of SpeedTest using DiGi’s Prepaid Mobile Internet package as goldfries.com joined DiGi‘s Network Drive Test as part of Team Lowyat. 😀 The speed reading was taken at Federal Highway, around Subang Jaya area.

Here’s where you download Speedtest for your device.

– For Android
– For iOS
– For Windows Phone

And here’s a reference table for you, so you know what range of speed to expect from the data connectivity type. (Numbers provided by DiGi)

The indicator is always on you phone, on an Android device it looks like this image on the right. Notice the H sign? That indicates that my mobile data is running on HSDPA / 3G and my expected speed should be at a range of 700Kbps – 2Mbps of which the higher is better.

Parting Thoughts

Many thanks to DiGi for inviting me to their Network Drive Test, it was a fun session that inspired this article.

As users, it’s good to know what technology is with you and what kind of speed you should be getting. If your speed is low (often indicated by low signal bar as well) – then perhaps you may consider switching network or seek the assistance of the service provider.