Ookla introduces video testing on Speedtest

Ookla yesterday announced the launch of video testing on Speedtest to help you measure the quality of your streaming experience before you queue up your next video. The video testing from Speedtest will be free and is currently available on Speedtest for iOS with support for more platforms coming soon. The ability to directly measure video experience will be an important tool for network management.

The dedicated video test will be important as providers routinely prioritize video traffic differently than other traffic, notes Ookla. This means that video can perform very differently than the rest of the things you do online. Speedtest will play an actual video test to specifically measure the performance of video streaming on your network at any time.

Streamed video content is usually delivered via adaptive bitrate technology which adjusts the quality of the video stream based on network conditions. The video test measures the adaptive bitrate to tell how the maximum resolution, load time, and buffer should be able to expect given current network conditions.

“A video test will also tell you which devices work best at that performance level. This can help you decide whether to try to stream on your largest TV or if you should use your phone instead,” said Speedtest in a blogpost.

Taking a Speedtest will let you know whether you’re getting lower than expected network bandwidth needed to stream your video. The video testing is already a part of the Speedtest app and iOS and will be available on more platforms coming soon. The test can be conveniently accessed from a tab at the bottom of the app.