Networking

Discover the best 4G mobile broadband service providers with our in-depth reviews of four of the most highly rated and common carriers in the country. We looked at AT&T, Cricket, T-Mobile, and Verizon and ranked them on four main criteria: price, speeds, data caps, and customer service. The results reveal several options regardless of what’s important to you in your 4G mobile plan and mobile internet service.  

See at Verizon

Verizon

Best 4G mobile network

Provider score: 5/5Verizon performs strongly across the board, securing our No. 1 spot for 4G mobile broadband service. It offers unlimited data with the option for premium data during high traffic periods, which is ideal for customers requiring large data usage.Its lowest-ranking category was pricing compared to the competition, although Verizon does have a range of options for different budgets. Best for:  Heavy data usersNot for:  Tight budgetsPricing4th place: Plans start at $35 per month, but go up to $55 for one line, which is about average compared to its competitors.Download/Upload Speeds2nd place: Verizon download speeds start at five Mbps and go up from there. While you won’t be able to stream 4K, you’ll definitely meet the three Mbps required for regularly streaming.Data Cap1st place: The highest plan comes with unlimited data, plus 75GB of premium data gets you faster speeds during peak traffic hours.Customer Service2nd place: Verizon ties for second place with a four out of five rating from J.D. Power.

See at AT&T

AT&T

Best Variety

Provider score: 2/5With the exception of low 4G plan prices, AT&T ranks at a mediocre level in the other categories. Download speeds start at the cusp of streaming capabilities and while data caps are unlimited, you’ll notice a slowing between 50GB and 100GB (depending on your plan).While providing lower-priced plans can appeal to customers, the potential for slower download speeds and negative customer service rankings may be off-putting for some.Best for: Budget-friendly options Not for: Exceptional servicePricing2nd place: Plans range from $35 to $50, making AT&T a lowered-priced option for consumers in need of low-budget plans.Download/Upload Speeds4th place: 4G uploads go up to a maximum of 7.1Mbps, although you’ll experience faster speeds if you upgrade to the 4G LTE network.Data Cap4th place: Unlimited data is great, but users in need of constant and high-performing speeds can find the data caps frustrating.  Customer Service4th place: AT&T has one of the lowest customer service scores from J.D. Power, so if you’re unhappy with your plan, you may not receive a lot of help in solving your issues.

T-Mobile

Fastest Speeds

Provider score: 4/5T-Mobile ranks first in three categories: price, speed, and customer service. The downside is its data caps, which can slow data speeds down after 50GB of use. As long as you pay attention to how much data you’re using, you’ll benefit from exceptional speeds for both downloading and uploading.Best for: Fast speeds Not for: Constant data usePricing1st place: At a minimum, you can spend just $30 on a T-Mobile plan with 4G. On the high end for a single line, the cost only jumps to $50.Download/Upload Speeds1st place:  Download speeds start at 9 Mbps and go up to 47Mbps — enough to stream in 4K.Data Cap5th place:  T-Mobile users get a max of uninterrupted 50GB of data included in plans, and while it does include hours of streaming video and music, your data prioritization could slow down speeds. Customer Service1st place:  J.D. Power ranks T-Mobile first among full-service carriers for service. If you have an issue with your account, you’ll be confident in the resolution process from T-Mobile.

Cricket

Best Flexible Plans

Cricket

Provider score: 3/5Cricket’s third-place ranking is strong, considering it’s the only no-contract carrier on our list. In addition to taking advantage of quality customer service and a high data cap, Cricket customers can sign up for month-to-month plans, which helps customers not interested in long-term plans.Best for: No-contract data plans Not for: Fast speeds Pricing3rd place: Cricket plans start at $30 per month and max out at $60 for unlimited data and a mobile hotspot. This range provides cheaper alternatives for unlimited data than other well-known carriers. Download/Upload Speeds5th place: Download speeds range between just one and 4Mbps, so you’ll only be able to stream video at the upper end of that range, likely outside of peak hours.Data Cap2nd place: Cricket offers unlimited data, so even though you may not be able to stream all the time simply based on speed, you at least don’t have to worry about your data running out.Customer Service1st place: Cricket ties for first in our customer service ranking and is J.D. Power’s top-rated carrier with no contracts. Knowing you have a reputable company providing solid customer service is a plus for new customers.

Guide to Mobile BroadbandBefore you pick a provider and a plan, it’s imperative to learn the differences between each type of mobile broadband service.3G vs. 4GGenerations of mobile data technology have progressed successively recently and the generational window may shrink even faster as technology improves. Simply put, the higher the number connection (3G vs. 4G), the faster and stronger you can expect your mobile data connection to be.As new mobile data networks emerge, older ones become obsolete. Today, 3G networks are rarely used and most new mobiles only provide 4G. Although no longer the fastest iteration, 4G networks are still common nationwide.LTELTE is the acronym for “long-term evolution.” It’s a version of 4G that is much faster than 3G, particularly when downloading media on your phone. While many networks carry LTE, it’s not as fast as pure 4G.5G5G mobile broadband is the latest network available — and consequently, the fastest. However, it hasn’t made its way into every locale yet. Verizon currently offers 5G in 31 cities in the U.S. and T-Mobile has extensive coverage nationwide, but it’s still not comprehensive. Consider fiber or cableFor fast data speeds and streaming capabilities at home from wireless internet providers, consider fiber or cable internet. You can still connect your smartphone to your home wi-fi network to use data from your internet plan rather than your mobile plan. While there may be geographic limitations in some rural areas, most places in the U.S. have internet service providers to compare.

How Did We Choose the Best?

 We looked at each carrier’s 4G mobile broadband offerings in terms of price, speed, data caps, and J.D. Power customer service rankings. Next, we ranked the carriers in each category and averaged the numbers.

What is the best 4G network?

Verizon is the best 4G network provider, with the highest overall scores for data limits, price, speeds, and customer service.

Will my 5G phone work on 4G/3G networks?

 Your 5G phone should automatically select the best signal according to your network, including 4G or 3G networks. 5G-capable phones are not strictly limited to the 5G signal. Your phone will automatically select a network according to what signal is available. If signals overlap, your phone will grasp the best signal and automatically change to the next best signal if the device travels beyond the network area.

How does 5G coverage compare to 4G?

 5G is still in its infancy, although the United States has installed numerous 5G towers over the last year. That being so, the coverage is still just a portion of the 4G coverage that currently exists. Metropolitan areas and their neighboring cities will likely be the first areas targeted, as was the case for 4G when it was first implemented.

Will 5G cost more than 4G?

 At this point, 5G will not cost more than a 4G plan. 5G is simply a more powerful, efficient radio transmission. What this means is more information can be broadcasted through 5G signals without interfering with other broadband signals. Ultimately, however, down the road, your network provider may adjust rates according to their infrastructure or signal quality.

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Written by

Tiernan Ray, Contributing Writer

Tiernan Ray
Contributing Writer

Tiernan Ray has been covering technology and business for 27 years. He was most recently technology editor for Barron’s where he wrote daily market coverage for the Tech Trader blog and wrote the weekly print column of that name.

Full Bio

Computer science classes “drove me crazy,” said Perlman. “Mathematical thinking is always very clear.”
Tiernan Ray for ZDNet
The computer network on which you’re working and playing functions because Radia Perlman figured out how to prevent computer network disasters. She did it in one afternoon.Nearly 40 ago, Perlman’s boss at Digital Equipment Corporation, then a titan of the computer world, challenged her to find a way that computer networks could scale across multiple network segments spanning offices, cities, and regions.

“He asked me on a Friday, and right before he was going away on vacation for a week, so he would be unavailable, just to make it extra challenging,” recalled Perlman. Undaunted, Perlman hit upon a solution later the same day. “I realized that night, ‘Oh, my god, it’s trivial,'” said Perlman, who has a disarming way of turning complex achievements into no big deal. “Yeah, you just think about it the right way; I knew just how to do it.”By Tuesday, Perlman had finished writing up the technical details of the spec for what would come to be known as spanning tree protocol, or STP, a key “layer two” technology for local area networks. “I spent the remainder of the week working on the poem that goes along with it,” she said.Perlman put her ode to spanning tree, “Algorhyme” (which deftly reconstitutes Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees” in exact meter) on the front page of her spec:I think that I shall never seeA graph more lovely than a tree.A tree whose crucial propertyIs loop-free connectivity.A tree which must be sure to spanSo packets can reach every LAN.First the Root must be selected.By ID it is elected.Least cost paths from Root are traced.In the tree these paths are placed.A mesh is made by folks like meThen bridges find a spanning tree.Perlman recited the poem by heart to a group of reporters and admirers Thursday night in New York’s Meat Packing District, where she was honored as the subject of a multi-part series, “Hidden Heroes,” exploring the unsung innovators of computer technology. Published by the software development consultancy Netguru, the series is being compiled this year by noted technology reporter Steven Johnson, author of books such as Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer and How We Got to Now. Johnson interviewed Perlman onstage. Johnson paid special thanks to the staff of Netguru, many of whom came to New York City this week from the company’s headquarters in Poznań, Poland. Netguru’s CEO, Marek Talarczyk, thanked the hidden heroes back home contending with the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine, especially those who are helping over two million Ukrainian refugees who have entered Poland.Talarczyk explained the inspiration for Hidden Heroes as giving credit where credit is due. He related his own experience growing up enchanted by technologies that made the internet possible.”We honor business leaders such as Elon Musk, but we don’t always pay attention to those who started those technologies,” said Talarczyk.”Because innovation has generated such vast fortunes, when we think about world-changing ideas, our attention is drawn to the shiny objects of wealthy people,” said technology writer Steven Johnson. 
Tiernan Ray for ZDNet
“It’s high time we pay tribute to those software pioneers.”Johnson echoed the sentiment and said, “Because innovation has generated such vast fortunes, when we think about world-changing ideas, our attention is drawn to the shiny objects of wealthy people.” “Sometimes innovation happens at a lower level,” added Johnson, referencing a realm of almost invisible technology that “just works,” such as networking protocols underlying the internet. “We want to make those invisible breakthroughs visible, that’s the ambition.”  Perlman, who studied under AI pioneer Seymour Papert at MIT, first earning an undergraduate degree and later a PhD, is an unlikely computer science hero. “You hear about these engineers who grow up taking things apart, but I was never like that,” Perlman told the audience. “I never took anything apart because I was afraid I would break it.””But I was always the best in math and science,” she recalled. Perlman’s strategy early on was to take on the hardest science problems, starting with physics. “I got as far as quantum mechanics, and then I was out of there,” switching to mathematics and later to computer science. “That’s the usual path people take: physics, math, computer science, and then humanities.””[I had} no idea what I wanted to do, I was interested, kind of, in anything,” she said, “as long as it didn’t involve computers!””We honor business leaders such as Elon Musk, but we don’t always pay attention to those who started those technologies,” said Netguru CEO Marek Talarczyk.
Tiernan Ray for ZDNet
Mathematics thinking was “clear,” she said, but computer science classes never made any sense. “They would drive me crazy,” she said. “A professor would wax rhapsodic about object-oriented programming, and I didn’t understand, and then at some point, I’d realize, ‘Oh! You’re just saying the program should have a library!'”Perlman was drafted into programming by a teaching assistant at MIT who was eager to help a young person learn the art, given that an unskilled draftee would be cheaper to employ for programming tasks than a trained programmer. She was one of only a handful of women in the MIT dorms in an era of a one-to-fifteen gender ratio.”The school was full of these incredibly shy, awkward, sensitive boys who had never talked to a girl before,” said Perlman. “You would just say hello, and they would get all excited — “a girl talked to me” — and think they were going to get married. I felt so incredibly bad about that!”

As a reluctant computer programmer, Perlman nevertheless discovered an ability to cut through the complexity and find foundational solutions to computer science problems. “My superpower is that I have no memory,” she explained. “I have to understand things so deeply that I can figure them out from a couple of concepts, and I get rid of all irrelevant details.” Most programmers, she observed, would do something like the opposite; they’d just start coding, working out details first.Perlman, who wrote one of the foundational textbooks that is required reading in networking, observes the discipline with dry wit. At Digital Equipment, for example, the networking technology she helped create (DECNet) was deemed “boring” by customers.”I said, ‘I’ll put knobs on it to make it more exciting, and if you touch them, nothing bad happens because all the knobs have the same setting!'” Her impulse, she said, was always to simplify. “I hate gadgets,” said Perlman. “I want to design things for people like me; I wanted you to be able to just plug it together and it works.” In many of the emerging settings for technology among DEC’s customers, she noted, ordinary people had to be able to depend on the network. “When you have a network in a hospital, doctors shouldn’t have to be network people,” she said.”I’m proud of making networks much more self-configuring so you don’t have to worry about them.”Her crowning achievement, the spanning tree protocol, was an exercise in elegance, a distillation of the problem down to a single, eidetic concept. The problem was that early computer networks consisted of individual machines with no knowledge of how they were all connected to one another. To pass a message from one machine to another, all the machines in between the two would forward on the message. Sometimes, because they didn’t know much, a computer along the way would mistakenly re-direct the message back to its originator. That could happen repeatedly, resulting in a never-ending loop of data transmission that could bring down the network.A spanning tree is a form that takes shape inside a mesh, touching each vertex of the mesh only once.
David Eppstein
To end the loops, Perlman came up with the idea for a few computers along the way to have more knowledge about the total structure of the network. They could forward the message to certain computers that were best placed not to send the message back to its originator. The smarter software in practice made the network a structure with no loops, just a tree shape, a branching form leading ever outward. In mathematics, a single path that connects all the points in space of a grid once and only once is called a spanning tree, hence, the name.The software rules written by a programmer set up a grid, but it’s the software operating in real-time that identifies the smartest path within that grid. Hence, Perlman’s final stanza of her poem recapitulates the spirit of Kilmer’s final stanza:A mesh is made by folks like meThen bridges find a spanning tree.Perlman is a realist about the evolution of computer technology. Many times, the best approaches to a problem don’t win out, she said. “Spanning tree was not ideal by any means,” she told ZDNet following the onstage interview. And neither was the Internet Protocol technology that became the heart of the internet, she said. Perlman believes the computing standard called Connectionless-mode Network Protocol (CLNP) which she was championing in the early 1990s, was the best option. But it lost out to IP version 6. The two technologies were promoted by competing technology standards organizations, and that made all the difference, she explained.”A lot of the time, we like to think that standards bodies are composed of very smart people who are thinking about the best approach to deep technical problems,” Perlman told ZDNet. “In fact, they’re a lot more like drunken sports fans.”

Networking More

An artist rendering of a NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite in orbit. 
Image: NASA
NASA has awarded deals to Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite company and SpaceX’s Starlink as part of $287.5 million in funding for commercial operators to deliver the space agency’s future satellite communications. The funds were awarded to six satellite firms as part of NASA’s Communication Services Project (CSP), which looks to tap the private sector for near-Earth SATCOM replacements for its soon-to-be-decommissioned Tracking and Dara Relay Satellite (TDRS). 

Innovation

NASA awarded Amazon’s Kuiper Government Solutions $67 million for a “commercial optical low-Earth orbiting relay network for high- and low-rate SATCOM services to spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for routine missions, contingency operations, and early operations phase communications.”SEE: NASA will test this ‘SpinLaunch’ system that hurls satellites into spaceSpaceX landed $69.5 million for a a commercial optical low-Earth orbiting relay network for high-rate SATCOM services to spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for routine missions, contingency operations, launch and ascent, and early-operations phase communications. Other winners of the program included Inmarsat, Viasat, Telecast, and SES.         SpaceX has launched about 2,000 broadband-beaming Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO), while Amazon has yet to launch any of its proposed satellite constellation. However, Amazon announced earlier this month that Project Kuiper had secured 83 launches from Arianespace, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance (ULA), which have enough capacity to carry the majority of its proposed 3,236 satellites. Amazon says it has more than 1,000 people working on the Project Kuiper. The companies have until 2025 to demonstrate their technology can deliver new high-rate and high-capacity two-way communications. NASA wants multiple long-term deals with firms for near-Earth SATCOM operations by 2030, while it phases out its own systems.Eli Naffah, the head of NASA’s Communications Services Project (CSP), told Reuters the goal was to get industry to develop capabilities for customers that are “not just NASA, but other space-based customers as well, hopefully bringing down our costs.”As NASA explains, it envisages CSP services will be used by other government agencies and commercial space flight companies to support their own mission requirements. It also looks to change data transmissions from predominantly being from space to Earth towards higher capacity, two-way communications. 

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It seems self-evident that public data on a website is, well, public. But, that’s never stopped people from arguing that scraping–copying data from public websites–is somehow illegal. Now, the  U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in the hiQ Labs, Inc. v. LinkedIn Corp. that LinkedIn can’t stop its competitor, hiQ Labs, from scraping LinkedIn users’ publicly available data. 

This case has been dragging on for almost five years. LinkedIn demanded in 2017 that hiQ cease and desist from scraping LinkedIn data. LinkedIn also began blocking hiQ’s access and its ability to scrape data from public LinkedIn profiles. LinkedIn argued that hiQ’s actions violated several laws, most notably the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and LinkedIn’s terms of use. Initially, the courts ruled that LinkedIn couldn’t block HiQ. This was followed up by the Ninth Circuit in 2019 with a decision repeating that LinkedIn couldn’t stop the startup from data scraping. As Circuit Judge Marsha Berzon ruled at the time, “there is little evidence that LinkedIn users who choose to make their profiles public maintain an expectation of privacy with respect to the information that they post publicly, and it is doubtful that they do.” LinkedIn, however, wasn’t done. The company took the case to the US Supreme Court. The high ruled that since its 2021 decision in Van Buren v. United States showed that the federal computer crime law doesn’t criminalize scraping publicly available internet information, the LinkedIn case needed another look. So, SCOTUS sent the case back to the Ninth Circuit. The Van Buren case used a “gates-up-or-down” analogy. Either data is open and the gate is up, or it’s not open, and the gate is down. HiQ argued that –on a publicly available website — that there is no gate to begin with, or at the very least, the gate is up. The Ninth Circuit agreed, ruling that “the concept of ‘without authorization does not apply to public websites.”This is a win for academics, archivists, journalists, researchers, and companies like hiQ that use data that’s been made publicly available. Or, at least, it’s a win for now. LinkedIn has no intention of letting the case go. In a statement, LinkedIn spokesperson Greg Snapper said, “We’re disappointed in the court’s decision. This is a preliminary ruling and the case is far from over.” LinkedIn argued, “We will continue to fight to protect our members’ ability to control the information they make available on LinkedIn. When your data is taken without permission and used in ways you haven’t agreed to, that’s not OK. On LinkedIn, our members trust us with their information, which is why we prohibit unauthorized scraping on our platform.”In an amicus brief on the case filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)  and the Internet Archive, the EFF and Internet Archive argued that while “LinkedIn is right to recognize the threat to individual privacy posed by actors who obtain personally-identifying information and misuse it to harm people,” they missed the boat by using the CFAA, which is meant to stop hackers. Following that logic, you end up with such nonsense as the Republican Missouri Governor Mike Parson who argued that a journalist who found a website that had revealed teachers’ social-security numbers was a hacker. Instead, the EFF argues, LinkedIn should join the EFF in “pushing Congress and state legislatures to adopt consumer and biometric privacy laws that would prohibit services from collecting people’s sensitive information without their consent.”Related Stories: More

Working from home has become a new norm for many. Enterprises are now embarking on hybrid working arrangements and that means home internet connections remain critical for people who need to hop on a or Zoom video call while the kids are attending virtual classes, playing , or watching . Home broadband connections were put to the test during the initial COVID-19 phase of pandemic lockdowns around the globe as employees logged in, en masse, from managed and BYOD devices to their needed business applications, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace over VPNs. Also: Internet slow? Here are 7 possible reasons why and how to fix themHere are five broadband speed tests that ZDNet considers trustworthy. To get a true picture of your broadband speed, you’ll likely need to run the tests multiple times and check results across different devices throughout the day. It may also be worth running these tests on multiple devices on your home network. If one device produces a vastly slowly or faster result, you may be dealing with a problem at the LAN or Wi-Fi level, rather than with your broadband provider’s network. 

Ookla’s Speedtest

Best internet speed test

Speedtest from Ookla, which also owns outage site, Downdetector, was one of the first broadband speed tests and offers a snapshot of download and upload speeds to an ISP via its website or a lightweight app for Windows 10 or macOS. It’s also available in 17 languages, and if you set up an account, you can keep track of your speeds over time. The service displays the current download and upload speeds and measurements for ‘ping’, ‘jitter’, and packet loss. There are also options to change the local server that the ISP speed test is conducted with — a configuration option that most other tests lack. Plus, results can be shared on social media.   Ookla has some helpful explanatory notes for people who aren’t familiar with the ping test. It’s a latency test. Ookla says that less than 59 milliseconds (MS) ping is very good for online games. The FCC wants satellite broadband providers to deliver latency of below 100 ms to bid for a slice of its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). SpaceX says its Starlink satellites will provide a latency of 20ms to 40ms.   Its website is useful for those who are curious enough to learn why a test on a mobile device returns a different result to a laptop or a device that’s physically connected to a router.  Each test taken with Speedtest uses Ookla’s server network of over 14,000 servers and reports back on key network health metrics, Nick Turner, a technical trainer at Ookla, tells ZDNet. “There are Speedtest servers in virtually every country and major population center worldwide,” Turner said.  He argues that Ookla’s distributed server network makes it more accurate than many other tests. “This enables us to more easily select ‘nearby’ servers or combinations of servers that are capable of delivering the sufficient bandwidth necessary to discover the most accurate maximum speeds to the device in question. Since our founding in 2006, an unparalleled total of more than 35 billion tests have been taken with Speedtest.”Pros:   It’s a general purpose broadband speed test in use since 2006   It’s not from an ISP or a service provider    Users can select the host server from which to test their ISP’s speed test Cons:   The site uses tech-lingo that some people might not understand    It’s full of ads and ad trackers 

Netflix’s Fast.com

Best for Netflix

Like other entries on this list, Netflix’s Fast.com broadband speed is run by a company that has an interest in its customers having a fast enough connection to stream its content. That means there are none of the lingering questions about potential bias from speed tests run by ISPs. Plus, the tests are international, using servers where Netflix has installed appliances for its giant content delivery network (CDN).  Netflix has a vast CDN called Netflix Open Connect, which relies on Open Connect appliances installed within ISPs that peer with Netflix. That CDN is built around the principle of moving content closer to users and is how it delivers a fast streaming experience. Hence, the Fast.com test is designed to test the connection between a person’s device and Netflix’s CDN servers. That means the results are specific to Netflix’s own network, which makes sense for the company but also means it looks at speeds from a particular perspective.   The Fast.com website keeps things simple by only showing the download speed. In my tests, it reported slower speeds than Oookla’s Speedtest. And it produced wildly different results between wifi tests on a 2017 macOS MacBook Pro (160Mbps) and an iPhone 12 (330 Mbps), with both on a modern router’s 5GHz frequency.But on Fast.com, you don’t even need to click ‘Go’; just opening the site in a browser tab starts the test. There’s also a “Show more” option, which provides latency speeds and upload speeds, as well as where the servers used in the test are located.  Pros:   It’s designed to test the speed of your connection to Netflix’s servers   There are no ads    It’s relevant to your connection wherever you’re streaming Netflix from Cons:   It’s not really designed to test your ISP’s connection speed    Results are specific to Netflix infrastructure    Only provides download speeds

The Google speed test for Stadia online gaming

Best for a specific web application

The Google Stadia online gaming platform has hit a few bumps since launching in 2019, but it is a massive platform, and the company knows that consumer broadband speeds are critical for adoption.Google recommends a download speed of no less than 10 Mbps to stream games on Stadia but recommends faster speeds for displays with a resolution higher than 720p HD. It teamed up with open source project Measurement Lab or M-Lab to run its speed test. The project is led by teams at Code for Science & Society and Google. The Google Stadia web interface is pretty simple — literally a one-click task at Google’s Projectstream website from the “Check Now” button. It’s focused on Stadia users, and so, for accuracy, it recommends people use the device and network where they want to play and have a strong wi-fi or Ethernet connection. It also recommends halting current downloads and file-sharing and closing tabs that are streaming video. The measurement takes less than 30 seconds to complete and returns similar results to Ookla. At the least, it confirms whether you’ll have a decent experience when gaming on Stadia.However, as Google notes, the test only provides a general indication of the quality of a connection and does not guarantee Stadia will work. Other factors include the device, ISP, and other activities that are consuming bandwidth.Pros:   It’s a general purpose broadband speed test based on a platform in use since 2006   It’s not from an ISP or a service provider    Users can select the host server from which to test their ISP’s speed test Cons:   It’s primarily focused on Stadia, despite offering useful measurements for all 

Comcast’s Xfinity xFi speed test

Can you trust your ISP’s speed test?

As a top US contender in the gigabit internet market, Comcast’s Xfinity xFi broadband speed test is a popular choice for Americans. The speed test itself operates similarly to Google’s speed test, but the site has some pointers for customers wanting to explore why the speed results might not match the user’s plan. These are helpful, but I feel defensive as if they were written to help reduce customer support calls for why a broadband isn’t as fast as advertised.    On the other hand, it provides more context about factors that can affect the home connection, such as an old home gateway lowering available bandwidth. The result also explains what the device being tested can do, such as streaming 4K video. The site prioritizes download speeds but does have a “Show more” option to see upload speeds, latency, the internet protocol, and where the host server is located.    Results may vary depending on where you’re located, and the test is designed purely for American internet users.   For those worried about bias in Comcast’s results, it’s worth noting that our testing showed the site to produce results in line with or in excess of advertised speeds for Comcast’s direct competitor, Verizon FiOS. Pros:   The results are consistent with other speed tests   It’s dead simple to use, and there are no ads    Test servers are located in the US Cons:   It is a test operated by an ISP    The information it provides appears geared towards reducing support calls

The FCC’s Speed Test app

Best speed test app

The FCC in April launched the FCC Speed Test app. It’s available as an Android app in the Google Play Store and an iOS app in Apple’s App Store. That means you can’t run the test from your desktop, but you are taking part in an important project for the commission to get a clearer picture of broadband quality across America. The test produces results once you press the button to start the test in the mobile app. The data collected is used to help the FCC improve its broadband maps. Under the Trump administration, Microsoft argued the FCC was severely overestimating how many residents had access to fast broadband. Microsoft’s data suggested almost half of America’s population did not have access to speeds of at least 25 Mpbs rather than the 24 million estimated in the FCC’s maps. Data is shared with the FCC’s Measuring Broadband America research program, an important national project that will help determine where funding is allocated in years to come. It’s a case where broadband speed tests aren’t just about your own connection speed but the state of broadband across the nation. “To close the gap between digital haves and have nots, we are working to build a comprehensive, user-friendly dataset on broadband availability,” said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. “Expanding the base of consumers who use the FCC Speed Test app will enable us to provide improved coverage information to the public and add to the measurement tools we’re developing to show where broadband is truly available throughout the United States.”ProsIt helps a project to improve fast broadband access across the USThere are no ads or direct commercial interestsThe FCC under the Biden Administration seems keen to look at the consumer rather than carrier interests  Cons It requires an app download, there is no web-based versionThere’s no way to test broadband speeds from a desktop or Ethernet-connected PC

Why do you need to check your internet speed?

Speed tests are useful to remote workers who might need to figure out whether a poor connection is due to the ISP or something else, such as a problematic home router, a Wi-Fi interference issue, or even the device they’re testing from — be it a laptop, desktop or a smartphone. The tests can also be handy when disputing an ISP’s claimed speeds for a subscription, and just generally making sure you’re receiving the service level you’re paying for. 

What is the best internet speed test?

We found the best internet speed test is Ookla Speedtest. This broadband speed test is extremely user friendly and reliable with a total of more than 40 billion consumer-initiated tests conducted.

Are some internet speed tests more reliable or trustworthy than others?

Results can vary widely between broadband speed tests and day-to-day due to changing network conditions. ZDNet considers the five five broadband speed tests above to be reliable and trustworthy. But to get a true picture of your broadband speeds, try running multiple tests across multiple devices and at least two or three of the speed tests listed here. Taking an average of all of the results from these tests should produce the most accurate measurement possible for most home users. 

For internet speed, how fast is fast enough?

The FCC currently considers 25Mbps to be a fast enough service for more than four users on a network, but many people will find this insufficient. Netflix considers 25Mbps adequate to stream a 4K video to a single device for what it’s worth. However, most home networks have at least a few, if not numerous devices running at any given time. This means that if another user is eating into that 25Mbps speed, your streaming video quality will likely degrade. For more information, tools like BroadbandNow and advice from our sister site CNet can be helpful resources. 

How did we choose these internet speed tests?

ZDNet doesn’t vouch for one test over another. As explained, there are multiple broadband speed tests and people should use at least a few of them to get the most holistic picture of their network’s peformance. Some of them are designed to test a connection for a particular online service, such as Netflix or Stadia, while others can help customer dispute speed claims with ISPs, and the FCC’s speed test might help fill broadband gaps in the community. All in all, the tests listed here are some of the most widely available and well-respected options on the Web. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t better solutions for your individual needs, but these five represent an excellent cross-section of choices for the widest possible array of users. 

Are there other internet speed tests worth considering?

OpenSignal for cellular networks

OpenSignal, which Speedtest.net operator Ookla recently acquired, started out with mobile speed tests and regularly produces reports about 4G and 5G speed results around the world. It crowdsources its results and now also returns results for wifi speeds, but its focus is squarely on the mobile experience. 

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Image: Getty Images
3G is shutting down and some of your most essential tech may soon become unusable. What steered the evolution of how we use, interact, and communicate with technology 20 years ago will officially retire by the end of 2022, with major US carriers repurposing their satellites over the course of the year. In its place: 5G, the next-generation network that promises considerably faster speeds than 4G LTE and a more unified system for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) expansion.

So, what does this all mean for older hardware like cellphones, alarms, and GPS systems that thrive on the 3G spectrum? To put it bluntly, many of the network-driven features will become obsolete, presenting some unforeseen dangers. Fortunately, there are steps that you and your loved ones can take to safely transition from aging to future-proof tech. In some cases, manufacturers may even be able to give your older gadgets new life through software upgrades. Here is everything you need to know about the “3G sunset”, how it will affect the technology that you use, and what you can do to stay afloat in the ever-changing landscape.

When are carriers shutting down 3G?

While carriers have been planning the closure of 3G since 4G LTE took the reins (and the prospect of 5G being another catalyst) the agenda took a pause during the pandemic. Over the past two years, 3G-reliant services like home security systems and tech for the elderly have become more essential than ever, keeping telecommunications companies from pulling the plug. That is, until 2022, with major US carriers finally giving in and setting new shutdown dates that span across the year. AT&T is the first of the big three, closing its 3G network on February 22, 2022. T-Mobile has pushed its 3G shutdown to July 1, 2022, after initially planning for an October closing in 2021. Sprint, now merged with T-Mobile, will close its 3G network on May 31, 2022. Verizon’s 3G network will shut off on December 31, 2022. The carrier has made it clear that “the date will not be extended again.”You can find more information regarding when the 3G networks close on FCC’s website.

Will my phone still work?

Image: Getty Images

For the greater portion of the 3G era, smartphones enabled users to browse the web, share viral videos, update statuses, and connect with people from around the world. That all remains possible through 4G LTE, 5G, and Wi-Fi networks. With 3G turned off, the iPhone 3GS, for example, won’t be able to make calls or text messages, but can still connect to Wi-Fi to access internet-based applications. According to the CTIA, “fewer than nine percent of the US wireless connections are 2G or 3G subscriptions.” If you’re using a smartphone that launched after 2014, you likely won’t experience any setbacks from the 3G shutdown. The same applies to flip phones that were released after 2017. Unsure of what year your device was manufactured? The best solution is to check with your local carrier — in person or online — to see if there are any compatibility issues. More: ZDNet’s top picks for cheap 5G phonesCarriers like T-Mobile and Verizon are also reaching out to 3G customers to help with the transition to 4G and 5G service plans. We’re seeing trade-in offers and incentives that will have your 3G-supported phone swapped with a 5G-supported one for free. And for low-income consumers, the FCC’s Lifeline program will discount qualifying monthly telephone and internet services, making the conversion all the more accessible. In general, if you or a loved one are using an older phone, this is your call to upgrade.

How will the 3G shutdown affect my car?

Besides ushering in the revolution of smartphones, 3G has played a foundational role in the navigation and alarm-based systems that we rely on during our everyday commutes. With the institution of faster and more reliable 5G, roadside assistance and emergency crash alerts are among the many network-based features that will be affected by the shutting down of 3G. Many cars also have an emergency SOS button that, when pressed, dials to first responders via 3G. That, too, will lose functionality. Vehicles from popular automakers like Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Hyundai, Dodge, and more released before 2019 are susceptible to the issues mentioned above. The main reason that newer models still carry 3G receivers, according to Roger Lanctot, director of automotive connected mobility at Strategy Analytics, is for automakers to save on manufacturing costs. To stay ahead of the curve, you’ll want to ensure that your car supports or can receive hardware upgrades to connect to 4G. As with smartphones, your best bet to stay in the know is by consulting with your local car dealer. While the modification may come in the form of downloadable software or physical spare parts, it will help to keep your vehicle up to date and functioning — especially during times of danger. More: Why 5G is a crucial technology for autonomous vehicles

How will it affect my home security?

Evgeniykleymenov — Shutterstock

For the past decades, home security and alarm systems have relied on 3G to communicate and monitor suspicious activities. With the 3G shutdown, that line of communication between the home and its service’s central monitoring station becomes non-existent, leaving people who live alone and elders vulnerable. Fortunately, over the course of the pandemic, many home security companies have proactively been migrating customers from 3G to 4G networks, ensuring that their services remain operational, even after the 3G spectrum is taken down. Unlike smartphones and cars that require disassembling or full-on upgrades, adding 4G functionality to security systems is as simple as having a technician install an external receiver (usually a box or panel). If you or someone you know is subscribed to a home security plan (ADT, Vivint, SimpliSafe, etc.) a customer representative should have reached out by phone or mail regarding the transition. If not, services like ADT allow you to schedule a free appointment via phone or website to get the conversion started. More: Our top picks for home security monitoring

Other tech that will be affected

Besides the categories mentioned above, there is a plethora of gadgets and services that rely on the older-generation network which you may not have been aware of. If you own any of the following, make sure to contact the manufacturer and ask what the next steps are. Depending on how old the product is, you may be eligible for a hardware or software upgrade. Medical alert devices (fall detectors, communicators, etc.)Fire alarmsInventory trackersSmartwatchesE-readers (Kindles, Nooks, etc.)GPS trackers (including for pets)Marine safety devices

Bottom line

With the imminent sunset of 3G, take a moment out of your day to check your devices (as well as those of your loved ones) to ensure that everything is up to date and geared for the future. As technology progresses and new advances replace the old, businesses and customers alike must learn, adapt, and embrace the change so the tech we rely on every day can continue to keep ourselves and those around us safe and informed. More

Image: Getty Images
3G is shutting down and some of your most essential tech may soon become unusable. What steered the evolution of how we use, interact, and communicate with technology 20 years ago will officially retire by the end of 2022, with major US carriers repurposing their satellites over the course of the year. In its place: 5G, the next-generation network that promises considerably faster speeds than 4G LTE and a more unified system for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) expansion.

Special Feature

So, what does this all mean for older hardware like cellphones, alarms, and GPS systems that thrive on the 3G spectrum? To put it bluntly, many of the network-driven features will become obsolete, presenting some unforeseen dangers. Fortunately, there are steps that you and your loved ones can take to safely transition from aging to future-proof tech. In some cases, manufacturers may even be able to give your older gadgets new life through software upgrades. Here is everything you need to know about the “3G sunset”, how it will affect the technology that you use, and what you can do to stay afloat in the ever-changing landscape.

When are carriers shutting down 3G?

While carriers have been planning the closure of 3G since 4G LTE took the reins (and the prospect of 5G being another catalyst) the agenda took a pause during the pandemic. Over the past two years, 3G-reliant services like home security systems and tech for the elderly have become more essential than ever, keeping telecommunications companies from pulling the plug. That is, until 2022, with major US carriers finally giving in and setting new shutdown dates that span across the year. AT&T is the first of the big three, closing its 3G network on February 22, 2022. T-Mobile has pushed its 3G shutdown to July 1, 2022, after initially planning for an October closing in 2021. Sprint, now merged with T-Mobile, will close its 3G network on May 31, 2022. Verizon’s 3G network will shut off on December 31, 2022. The carrier has made it clear that “the date will not be extended again.”You can find more information regarding when the 3G networks close on FCC’s website.

Will my phone still work?

Image: Getty Images

For the greater portion of the 3G era, smartphones enabled users to browse the web, share viral videos, update statuses, and connect with people from around the world. That all remains possible through 4G LTE, 5G, and Wi-Fi networks. With 3G turned off, the iPhone 3GS, for example, won’t be able to make calls or text messages, but can still connect to Wi-Fi to access internet-based applications. According to the CTIA, “fewer than nine percent of the US wireless connections are 2G or 3G subscriptions.” If you’re using a smartphone that launched after 2014, you likely won’t experience any setbacks from the 3G shutdown. The same applies to flip phones that were released after 2017. Unsure of what year your device was manufactured? The best solution is to check with your local carrier — in person or online — to see if there are any compatibility issues. More: ZDNet’s top picks for cheap 5G phonesCarriers like T-Mobile and Verizon are also reaching out to 3G customers to help with the transition to 4G and 5G service plans. We’re seeing trade-in offers and incentives that will have your 3G-supported phone swapped with a 5G-supported one for free. And for low-income consumers, the FCC’s Lifeline program will discount qualifying monthly telephone and internet services, making the conversion all the more accessible. In general, if you or a loved one are using an older phone, this is your call to upgrade.

How will the 3G shutdown affect my car?

Besides ushering in the revolution of smartphones, 3G has played a foundational role in the navigation and alarm-based systems that we rely on during our everyday commutes. With the institution of faster and more reliable 5G, roadside assistance and emergency crash alerts are among the many network-based features that will be affected by the shutting down of 3G. Many cars also have an emergency SOS button that, when pressed, dials to first responders via 3G. That, too, will lose functionality. Vehicles from popular automakers like Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Hyundai, Dodge, and more released before 2019 are susceptible to the issues mentioned above. The main reason that newer models still carry 3G receivers, according to Roger Lanctot, director of automotive connected mobility at Strategy Analytics, is for automakers to save on manufacturing costs. To stay ahead of the curve, you’ll want to ensure that your car supports or can receive hardware upgrades to connect to 4G. As with smartphones, your best bet to stay in the know is by consulting with your local car dealer. While the modification may come in the form of downloadable software or physical spare parts, it will help to keep your vehicle up to date and functioning — especially during times of danger. More: Why 5G is a crucial technology for autonomous vehicles

How will it affect my home security?

Evgeniykleymenov — Shutterstock

For the past decades, home security and alarm systems have relied on 3G to communicate and monitor suspicious activities. With the 3G shutdown, that line of communication between the home and its service’s central monitoring station becomes non-existent, leaving people who live alone and elders vulnerable. Fortunately, over the course of the pandemic, many home security companies have proactively been migrating customers from 3G to 4G networks, ensuring that their services remain operational, even after the 3G spectrum is taken down. Unlike smartphones and cars that require disassembling or full-on upgrades, adding 4G functionality to security systems is as simple as having a technician install an external receiver (usually a box or panel). If you or someone you know is subscribed to a home security plan (ADT, Vivint, SimpliSafe, etc.) a customer representative should have reached out by phone or mail regarding the transition. If not, services like ADT allow you to schedule a free appointment via phone or website to get the conversion started. More: Our top picks for home security monitoring

Other tech that will be affected

Besides the categories mentioned above, there is a plethora of gadgets and services that rely on the older-generation network which you may not have been aware of. If you own any of the following, make sure to contact the manufacturer and ask what the next steps are. Depending on how old the product is, you may be eligible for a hardware or software upgrade. Medical alert devices (fall detectors, communicators, etc.)Fire alarmsInventory trackersSmartwatchesE-readers (Kindles, Nooks, etc.)GPS trackers (including for pets)Marine safety devices

Bottom line

With the imminent sunset of 3G, take a moment out of your day to check your devices (as well as those of your loved ones) to ensure that everything is up to date and geared for the future. As technology progresses and new advances replace the old, businesses and customers alike must learn, adapt, and embrace the change so the tech we rely on every day can continue to keep ourselves and those around us safe and informed. More

Arista Networks has announced the next phase of its cognitive-campus initiative with the introduction of its Cognitive Unified Edge (CUE) networking package. The concept of a cognitive campus has been to bring a smarter, more automated network to large enterprises and hyper-scalers, which has been Arista’s core buying audience since the company was founded. The new CUE solution is targeted at commercial customers, that is, businesses up to 1,000 employees, which typically have small, lean IT teams. The new Arista product is a cloud-managed, edge service that consolidates Arista’s network and security capabilities. Through the CloudVision management portal, customers will have access to automation capabilities, visibility of the wired and wireless networks, telemetry, security capabilities, zero-touch provisioning, and analytics across the end-to-end network. The dashboard also includes application quality of experience metrics where it tracks more than 250 apps, including many of the video collaboration services. CUE targets commercial customers The new service aligns well with trends in the commercial business segment. In companies of this size, IT pros tend to be jacks-of-all-trades versus the specialists found in larger companies. Prior to the pandemic, this group of engineers was often taxed to the point where keeping up with the demands of their company was challenging, if not impossible. Hybrid work, increased cloud adoption, shadow IT and other COVID-related changes have exacerbated this issue. CUE operates as a cloud service, greatly simplifying operations. Even though the offering is targeted at smaller companies, it deploys Arista’s NetDL (network data lake), which gives customers access to the same rich features that large enterprises get, including AI-driven insights and problem resolution. CUE also offers integrated security such as Zero Trust, which is critical in today’s network-centric world. For more than a decade, the convergence of networking and security has been predicted, with little movement in that direction. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of network-centric trends such as cloud and IoT, forcing the two domains to come together, particularly in the commercial segment where lean IT teams don’t have the resources to manage each independently. New purpose-built hardware for the commercial segment In addition to CloudVision, CUE includes several new Arista network and security edge products, purpose-built for this segment. The new Edge Threat Management Q Series is an edge firewall family that comes in six options and supports Power over Ethernet (PoE), 4G cellular connectivity, NVME storage, integrated WiFi, SD-WAN and NVMe SSD storage. These types of fully integrated appliances are ideally suited to the commercial segment. Arista also revealed a new compact switch, the 710P Compact Switch Series, that comes in three flavors. All three have 12 ports of 10/100/1000Base-T, and there are options for uplinks and downlinks. CUE will be 100% channel driven The new CUE solution will also have a different sales model. Because Arista deals with large enterprises and hyper-scales, much of its business is direct, but that’s hard to scale down market. CUE will be 100% channel-driven and enable customers to purchase via Arista channel partners paving the path for managed service offerings. More and more businesses are choosing to leverage a managed service for network and security operations. The rise of digital transformation has increased the value of the network but also has made networking and security significantly more complex. Managed services enable customers to evolve to an as-a-service model and offload operations to a third party with a higher level of technical acumen than what might be found at a small or medium company. This lets the IT staff spend more time on business-critical issues because they have offloaded many of the tactical, time-consuming day-to-day tasks. It will be interesting to see how this segment reacts to Arista. The company came to the market by addressing the needs of the cloud titans. Because of this, the company is widely regarded as the premier networking company. Other high-performance-focused companies have tried this with mixed success because smaller businesses might consider the products to be overkill for their needs. Arista makes excellent products and always has, so there should be no question that it can address the network and security needs of this segment. The key for the company will be getting channel partners in this segment to embrace a new vendor. The cloud front end is ideally suited for managed services and should be appealing to partners that are looking to augment their business with an as-a-service offering. Arista CUE will be available from Arista Channel Partners in Q2, 2022, with early availability in April 2022. More