Major new study aims to map Europe’s broadband speeds

With a broadband connection fast becoming an essential part of modern life, the speed we can access the Internet at is an important metric. A new study launched today aims to find out just how fast (or slow) Europeans’ connections really are.

The European Commission and broadband testing firm SamKnows are looking for 10,000 volunteers across 30 countries in Europe to help get a true measure of broadband speeds.

Under the scheme, SamKnows will be sent a small device called a ‘Whitebox’ to connect to their home internet connection. The box then runs tests when the line isn’t in use, measuring its speed and performance. The result will be a map displaying the strongest and weakest spots for broadband across Europe. Individual volunteers will also receive real-time data about the performance of their own connection throughout the study.

The study organisers are looking for participants across all European Union countries, in a large-scale version of what has previously been conducted by SamKnows for the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom. A similar study by SamKnows in conjunction with the FCC in the US, Test My ISP is currently under way too.

If you’re interested in taking part in the European study, more information can be found at www.samknows.eu.