# Wireless network - speed testing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920 "2019-02-20T20:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/1 "2019-02-20T20:35:33Z")
I’m on Verizon, latest iPhone. I started looking at my current data speed because I’m considering switching to a Verizon MVNO, and there seems to be considerable uncertainty over whether MVNOs are throttled. Anyway, I get the following download speeds via the Verizon cell network: 65 Mbps via Ookla app 55 Mbps via web browser Xfinity speed test **4 Mpbs via web browser [fast.com](http://fast.com) = Netflix** If I turn on WiFi, I get roughly equal speeds. **So it looks like the Verizon cell network is specifically throttling Netflix.** Not that this is of any practical concern to me personally, since I don’t watch Netflix over the cell network. But has this always been the case? Are other people seeing the same thing? I we still had net neutrality, this would be a violation, right? Or did net neutrality not apply to data via cell networks? ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/2 "2019-02-20T21:00:32Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > **So it looks like the Verizon cell network is specifically throttling Netflix.** Yes. All of the cell phone service providers shape streaming video traffic to force the quality down to the 480p-720p range. Verizon targets 720p bandwidth. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/3 "2019-02-20T21:05:44Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > Yes. All of the cell phone service providers shape streaming video traffic to force the quality down to the 480p-720p range. Verizon targets 720p bandwidth. So how did net neutrality look as it applied to cellphone data? Were carriers always allowed to throttle video traffic, provided they treated all video providers equally? ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/4 "2019-02-20T21:20:39Z")
Net neutrality in the US is pretty weak right now, as in nonexistent. Net neutrality regulations ceased being in effect mid-2018. Even under the existing net neutrality framework dating from 2015, mobile services were exempt. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/5 "2019-02-21T01:32:39Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > So how did net neutrality look as it applied to cellphone data? Were carriers always allowed to throttle video traffic, provided they treated all video providers equally? That was the general idea, it never really had a chance to be challenged/fleshed out. With regards to MVNOs, usually the biggest problem there is deprioritization. If the network’s not congested, you’re more likely to be OK, if there is congestion, your packets are much more likely to be dropped rather than a Verizon-proper user, slowing you down before him. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/6 "2019-02-21T02:07:28Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > With regards to MVNOs, usually the biggest problem there is deprioritization. If the network’s not congested, you’re more likely to be OK, if there is congestion, your packets are much more likely to be dropped rather than a Verizon-proper user, slowing you down before him. Yup. Theres a very nice report here: > **[How MVNOs compare to Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint](https://www.tutela.com/blog/best-mvno-us-2018-consumer-cellular-xfinity-mobile-cricket)** > > Comparing MVNOs in the United States - fastest and most consistent service They don’t explain their “consistent quality” metric very well, but presumably that’s related to deprioritization when traffic through a tower is heavy. Since I live in Santa Fe and rarely travel to big cities these days, it may not affect me much. And on data speed - Verizon is so fast that even if my data speed halves, I won’t notice. So I think it’s worth giving Xfinity Mobile a try. My monthly cost would drop from $65 to $15. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/7 "2019-02-21T18:56:59Z")
One thing I noticed is that you mention Netflix. Netflix throttles their own service through their app (if that’s applicable to your testing.) More: [https://www.wsj.com/articles/netflix-throttles-its-videos-on-at-t-verizon-phones-1458857424](http://https://www.wsj.com/articles/netflix-throttles-its-videos-on-at-t-verizon-phones-1458857424) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/8 "2019-02-21T19:46:00Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > One thing I noticed is that you mention Netflix. Netflix throttles their own service through their app (if that’s applicable to your testing.) Thanks. Your link is broken and the googled WSJ article is behind a paywall, but the content is here: > **[Netflix Lowers AT&T, Verizon Mobile Video Quality. - Free Online Library](https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Netflix+Lowers+AT%26T%2C+Verizon+Mobile+Video+Quality-a0518561694)** > > Free Online Library: Netflix Lowers AT&T, Verizon Mobile Video Quality. by "International Business Times - US ed."; Business, international News, opinion and commentary Communications industry Telecommunications industry Telecommunications services... ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/9 "2019-02-22T06:14:10Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Thanks. Your link is broken and the googled WSJ article is behind a paywall, but the content is here: > > [Netflix Lowers AT&T, Verizon Mobile Video Quality. - Free Online Library](https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Netflix+Lowers+AT%26T%2C+Verizon+Mobile+Video+Quality-a0518561694) Thank \*you. \*All I can say is that it worked when I first tried it but that was originally based on a couple re-directs from an older article I had read on Cracked. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-network-speed-testing/829920/10 "2019-02-22T06:53:01Z")
I just switched from Verizon Post-Pay to Xfinity Mobile. My cost has dropped from $65 per month to $15, still on the Verizon network. Seamless transition, it took 20 minutes at the store, instant porting of number. A first speed test is giving me a _higher_ speed from the same location at home (\>100 Mbps), but it’s a little later in the evening. I’ll try it again at the exact same time I tested before switching. I think this is going to be a good choice, I rarely visit big cities these days, so I doubt that deprioritization is going to affect me much.