Gadget Helpline

Netflix Launches It’s Own Internet Speed Checker – FAST.com

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by

Shelley Peters
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It’s quite possible that Netflix may finally be fed up with the volume of calls regarding its online streaming service not performing correctly on certain smart devices – or that’s what we’d suspect based on the new website it’s set up to track broadband data speeds and present them in relation to the Netflix minimum requirements.

Netflix is following suit with the likes of Speedtest.net and has jumped on the often lagging band wagon by developing an easy-to-use optimal internet speed checker called FAST.

Now this is a simplified version of the internet speed tests we’re familiar with. As we are aware, most of you will look at something like Ookla and think what does all this mean..?? Well Netflix saw this too so that FAST only displays the most important download speed (the only one you are really interested in).

Netflix praises itself on being the most reliable service for checking internet speeds after continual testing and a trend in results.

Netflix provides this service by depositing packets of data from their servers through your IP address to your computer and measures the time and speed it takes to get there. Now although this isn’t new technology, it demonstrates how Netflix would perform on that speed on that network connection. It also calls out ISP claims of the speed you should be receiving and shows you what you actually are receiving.

This is partially down to the recent scuffles Netflix have been getting into with service providers regarding speed on computers and especially at this current time with new Smart TVs and the ISP BT.

This is a controversial step for Netflix, measuring internet speeds for its users when it has just come to light that Netflix itself has been found out to be “throttling” customers. From this, only customers on certain networks and providers would have been affected to ‘protect consumers from exceeding mobile data caps’ – but is this why? It seems strange that from this, Netflix are offering a better quality service or ‘transmission’ for a little bit more cash in their back pocket.

On a positive note, the new service Netflix offer is an easy to use and access feature that would give you a good indication to whether you are being fleeced by your ISP. We at the Gadget Helpline find this mostly a pointless new side line of Netflix but if it drums up business – why not.

To check your current internet speed according to Netflix try FAST.com right now.
To check what your minimum requirements are for running Netflix check out the official Help Section.