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How We Measured the Numbers

The numbers reported in this website is consolidated from a total of 900 test probes installed in the homes of volunteers from both the public and IDA. These test probes cover a selected range of plans from the major residential broadband service providers in Singapore.

At regular intervals, the test probes conduct the series of tests against our test servers housed in local Internet Data Centres (currently in SingTel, StarHub, and MobileOne), USA east and west coast, UK and China (Shanghai). These tests includes:

  • Maximum Upload and download throughput. This measures how much bandwidth is available to the connection between the test probe and the test server. Measured in kilobits per second (kbps)

  • Single TCP Upload and download throughput. This measures the speed of a single TCP connection. Most webpages uses multiple TCP streams but other protocols like FTP uses only single TCP connection. Measured in kilobits per second (kbps)

  • Latency, the time that elapsed between sending a data packet to the test server to when the acknowledgement is received. This is measured in milliseconds (ms)

  • Packet loss. Data packets that are not received as a percentage of total data packets sent.

Volunteer as a Tester

IDA has commissioned SamKnows Pte Ltd to perform the measurement of fixed broadband network performance of local ISPs.

You may sign up as a volunteer at http://www.samknows.com.sg .

As a volunteer, you will be helping us by measuring the actual performance of the plan you have subscribed to.  Your result will be used in our monthly publication at /consumerbb .

On top of contributing to the national broadband performance study, you will also be receiving a monthly Report Card on the performance of your ISP and online access to the specific test results you have contributed.

To minimise compromising your surfing experience as test, the test probe is programmed to avoid running tests when it detects activities on your internet connection. This is also important to ensure the accuracy of your results. The probe is able to detect activity on both wired and wireless traffic.

Of course, the test probe will be provided to you free of charge as long as you are in the programme and you may decide to withdraw from the programme anytime.

For more information, please visit http://www.samknows.com .