Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does the test work?
A: Selecting one of the speed test locations will start an application to evaluate the upload and download speeds from your Personal Computer (PC) to the Sprint Network. You can run the tests several times over the course of a few minutes or hours and compare the results from test to test. The test downloads a file to your PC and then uploads a file to the test server. The results are expressed in kilobits per second (Kbps) are computed based on the file sizes transferred and the elapsed time to send or receive the files.

Q: What If I'm using a Sprint Mobile Broadband Connection Card, Phone as Modem or Sprint Mobile Broadband embedded in my laptop?
A: The test will compute the file upload and download speeds to a server on the Sprint Network without traversing the public Internet. If you test using other speed test web sites on the internet, the results potentially include the delays of the internet and may have slower speeds and higher latencies. Note: Each speed test on the internet may choose different file sizes, send/receive multiple files, and use other methods of sending the files which will affect results. Your speeds will vary from test site to test site based on multiple variables like physical distance to the test server, file sizes used, and internet capacity for each test site, time of day etc.

Q: What can I do in the event of observing slow speeds?
A: Check or Evaluate the following best practices:

1. Make sure you have the latest Sprint Connection Manager. Visit www.sprint.com/downloads for the latest versions.
2. Keep your PC updated with the latest service packs or updates. http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us.
3. Perform regular maintenance often (once every 30 days is recommended) to make sure your PC is running at its best. This would include scanning for Viruses, Spyware and Malware.
4. Using Mozilla Firefox has shown to report slower throughput results.
5. When performing test have proxy settings disabled in your browser. Proxy servers often add latency.
6. Different times of the day may exhibit better or worse performance depending on the network loading at that time.
7. Windows XP and Vista generally perform better over windows 2000 based machines due to certain system limitations.
8. Performing speed tests over a VPN will typically be slower due to the security and encryption introduced during data transfers.
9. It is recommended you have your laptop plugged into AC power during performance testing. Low batteries may impact performance.
10. If there are very few (<2) signal strength bars seen in your connection manager, try and move to a location with a higher number of bars.
11. If your device supports an extendable or shark fin antenna, place it in the upright position. Often putting your antenna in an upright position may gain receiver sensitivity around 2 to 3 dB.