How to test my internet speed
ever wondered how fast your mobile data speed really is?
With most of us spending 2.5 hours a day on our smartphones, the need for fast internet and a reliable mobile connection when we’re away from Wi-Fi has become a necessity.
Having a high download and upload speed is now more important than ever.
Whether you’re streaming movies on-the-go, uploading files to Dropbox or downloading new mobile apps off Google Play during your morning commute, you need to be able to connect and do things with a steady internet connection.
Mobile internet speeds have surpassed many broadband speeds, including ADSL and certain NBN connections.
How do speed tests work?
An internet speed test will allow you to check the performance of your mobile device and mobile internet connection.
This is testing just cellular data, and will determine whether or not your connection speeds are strong enough for some of the tougher tasks like streaming live sports in the highest resolution. You must disconnect from your internet service providers Wi-Fi to accurately test mobile speed.
They measure this by calculating the time it takes to send and receive data between your device and the speed-test server.
The two metrics calculated are called download and upload speed, these will determine if you have a fast internet connection.
what do my results actually mean?
Once your speed test is complete, you’ll be hit with some pretty technical terms and results. But don’t worry, we’re here to break it all down for you.
ping
Ping is the time it takes for a signal to be sent from one device and back again – a lot like the ball in a game of ping-pong. Ping measures the time it takes for a device to connect, not the speed that the data travels.
The lower the ping, the better your internet connection will be. Ping is generally lower for broadband internet as the computers have a wired connection to the modem
jitter
Jitter is the time it takes for your speed check to be complete. As your internet speed is recorded multiple times, the variation between the recorded speeds is the jitter. The lower your jitter is, the more stable your internet connection will be.
download speed
This is the speed at which your connection can download data to your device. Considered the most important aspect of a speed test, download speed affects the quality of your streamed shows and movies, as well as the speed a page will load.
Downloads are measured in Mbps (megabits per second). The higher your download speed is, the faster pages, games, movies, live streams and mobile apps will load.
upload speed
The same as download speed… but the opposite. Upload speeds show how quickly your devices can send or upload files. This result is especially important for people who upload large files to the cloud or need to send large images or video files.
Uploads are measured in Mbps (megabits per second) and the higher the upload speed, the better. Upload speeds are normally slower than download speeds.
How do my results compare?
The numbers you receive from speed tests are all well and good, but sometimes it's nice to know how your download and upload speed compares to the average speeds across the different mobile network technologies in Australia.
3G
Average download speed: 6.0 Mbps / Average upload speed: 1.5 Mbps
4G
Average download speed: 13.0 Mbps / Average upload speed: 6.0 Mbps
4G LTE
Average download speed: 34.0 Mbps / Average upload speed: 11.0 Mbps
How do my results compare?
When it comes to your obtainable mobile speeds, it’s important to consider the following factors:
- The type of mobile device you’re using
- Your current location and proximity to the nearest mobile network tower
- Accessing data during peak periods or at large-scale events such as music festivals, as this can lead to network congestion, which results in poor connection speeds
- The source of the content being downloaded (including any content server limitations)
- Streaming or uploading high volume content, putting pressure on the bandwidth
amaysim network coverage
If you needed a reminder, amaysim’s SIM-only UNLIMITED mobile phone plans are powered by the Optus 4G Plus network - offering fast internet and reliable coverage.
Starting from just $10/28 days and no lock-in contracts, we've made it easy to find the perfect mobile plan.
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We use the Optus 4G Plus network. The Optus Network covers 98.5% of Aussies.