Mobile Speed Test

What this test measures

The test measures download and upload throughput plus latency over your cellular connection. Turn WiFi off first, otherwise you will measure your home network instead of the mobile network.

Mobile results vary far more than fixed lines, because you share a radio cell with everyone nearby and the signal has to reach you through distance and building materials.

How to interpret your results

One measurement tells you very little on mobile. Take four: outdoors and indoors, at a busy hour and a quiet one. If speed recovers outdoors, reception is your limit. If it recovers late at night in the same spot, the cell was congested.

4G and 5G expectations

These are observed ranges rather than guarantees. Coverage, the bands your carrier deploys and your phone's modem all shift the figures.

What affects mobile speed

• Signal strength and, just as important, signal quality — interference matters as much as bars.
• Cell congestion: stations, city centres and residential evenings all slow the same spot down.
• Indoor attenuation from concrete, metal, foil-backed insulation and coated glass.
• Which band your phone attached to, since low-band 5G is not automatically fast.
• Device generation, which decides how many bands can be combined.
• Data saver modes, an active VPN, background sync and plan allowance limits.

How to improve your result

• Step outside or move near a window and retest.
• Toggle airplane mode on and off to force reattachment to a better cell.
• Try switching the preferred network type between 5G and 4G and compare.
• Disconnect the VPN and disable data saver for the test.
• Pause background app refresh, photo sync and app updates.
• Check whether you have passed a plan allowance that reduces speed.