Netflix has just launched what is probably the simplest speed test on the Web. It’s called Fast.com
It’s incredibly minimal, and loads pretty much immediately, probably because there are no ads. It only measures your internet service provider’s (ISP) download speed, which it will present in huge digits after a few seconds of testing.
And that’s it. A frequently asked questions section explains that keeping the site minimal was a conscious choice:
Fast.com is a simple-to-use way for consumers to estimate what speed their ISP is providing. It is not a network engineer’s analysis and diagnostic suite.
Netflix does give you the option to compare your results with Speedtest.net,which provides detailed results on upload speeds, latency and other metrics as well. That’s a nice touch, given the companies aren’t affiliated at all – there’s isn’t even a link to Netflix proper.
Of course, this is all part of the company’s continued vendetta against slow ISP speeds, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see links to Fast.com show up on the Netflix site and apps, especially when users are having connection problems.. The site ends its FAQ section fairly pointedly:
“If results from fast.com and other speed tests often show less speed than you have paid for, you can ask your ISP about the results.”
In other words, step your game up, ISPs.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.