Trai launches MySpeed app to keep tab on internet services

Telecom sector regulator Trai has launched MySpeed, a free-to-download app that will help users measure and report poor internet services, without having to deal with the operator's customer care.

"The MySpeed App, which could be downloaded from the mobile sewa app store, allows users to measure their data speed experience and send the results to this (Trai Analytics Portal)," the Telecom Regulatory Authority said in a statement.

The portal and the application will be formally launched by the regulator on 5 July, the statement added.

Currently available on Android smartphones, the app takes up 23MB after it is installed on the phone.

The app is also capable of logging and reporting connectivity issues, irrespective of the mobile or broadband service provider, directly to the regulator.

Trai's move comes after the regulator received a lot of complaints of discrepancy between the speeds that the operators claim and charge for, and the actual speeds that users get in real world usage.

This is the first app under the Digital India initiative, which is directly trying to tackle the issue of poor data speeds.

What makes MySpeed relevant despite the availability of other similar apps is that it allows users to immediately report poor services to the regulator, instead of wasting time on calls with the operator, often with no solution.

The interface is also clutter-free and easy to follow. It allows the user to test the Internet speed of a mobile 3G/4G connection or the home broadband's Wi-Fi speed. It has a history page where all test records are stacked for verifying internet speeds over a period of time along with location on the map. The map part will provide an idea about the area where the data speed was poor. It also gives a break-up of all the historical data, with info such as the exact location of a previous test, date, download speed, upload speed, delay in network and network reliability.

This page also carries the ''send to TRAI'' button, which automatically sends the whole report to the regulator.