The FCC announced a program on Wednesday (pdf) to measure the speeds of cellphone service providers. The program, called Measuring Mobile America, is modeled after the FCC’s study of home broadband Internet connections.
The commission will discuss the details of carrying out the mobile study at a meeting on Sept. 21.
In July, the agency released its annual “state of the union” on ISPs and broadband, and found that most Internet providers are doing a good job of offering advertised speeds.
The major wireless carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile — as well as their trade association, CTIA–The Wireless Association, have agreed to participate in the study, reports The Hill.
“We know from experience: transparency on broadband speeds drives improvement in broadband speeds,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement. “Our ongoing Measuring Broadband America program has helped improve performance in wired broadband. Our new mobile broadband measurement initiative extends the program to smartphones and other wireless devices. It will empower consumers and encourage improvements in mobile networks and programs, benefitting millions of Americans.”
