The saying goes that you get what you pay for, but New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman isn't so sure that's the case regarding Internet speeds.
“New Yorkers should get the Internet speeds they pay for," Schneiderman told Consumerist. "Too many of us may be paying for one thing, and getting another."
In October, Schneiderman sent letters to three of the state's biggest Internet service providers, asking for information on marketed connection speeds versus speeds delivered to consumers. He's now asking New York residents to help determine if the ISPs are being honest, Consumerist reported.
It's a pretty painless — and voluntary — process, and doesn't require you to fork over any private information about yourself. If you want to see how your Internet numbers add up, here's how:
1. Head to InternalHealthTest.org and click "Start Test."
The third party site will measure your Internet throughput speeds, which Consumerist describes as "the speeds at which customers actually reach content on the Internet."
The whole process should take a few minutes, and at the end you'll be able to see what your average connection speed is.
2. Take a screenshot of your results and send it to Schneiderman's office via this online form.
The form doesn't require any information about you or your device, just the name of your ISP, your Internet speeds, and zip code. Any other information such as your name and e-mail is optional.
The information you provide may seem small, but Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner says that crowdsourcing this information can help compel ISPs to deliver the service New Yorkers are paying for.
"No individual New Yorker acting alone can influence the giant telecom companies that control broadband in our state," Lerner said.
