Netflix launches website for internet speed test

[SAN FRANCISCO] Netflix Inc said on Wednesday that it had launched a website to check the speed of a mobile or broadband internet connection.

The service, called fast.com, works like other internet connection measurement tools such as speedtest.net, Netflix said in a blog post. "We all want a faster, better internet, yet internet speeds vary greatly and can be affected by other users on your network or congestion with your Internet service provider," David Fullagar, vice president of content delivery architecture, said in the post.

Fast.com performs a series of downloads from Netflix servers to make its internet speed estimate, and also links users to speedtest.net to compare the results. "Right now it's a standalone website, though we will look to evolve it down the road," Netflix spokeswoman Anne Marie Squeo said in an email to Reuters.

The video streaming company separately also has a monthly ISP Speed Index, which updates subscribers on which Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide the best Netflix streaming experience during prime-time hours.

Earlier in May, the company introduced a tool to help its subscribers control how much data they used when streaming on cellular networks.

REUTERS