Empirical Characterization of Ookla's Speed Test Platform: Analyzing Server Deployment, Policy Impact, and User Coverage.

Multiple speed test platforms provide web-based tools for end-users to evaluate their Internet performance. These tests gauge the end-to-end throughput by executing bulk data transfers between the user’s browser and one of the globally distributed speed test servers. However, speed test services lack standardization on where and which network to deploy the servers, and how to assign them to users for tests.This paper presents the first large-scale empirical characterization of the Ookla, the world’s largest speed test platform. We designed novel methods to discover test servers and captured monthly snapshots of their meta-information. We analyzed the deployment in different countries and regions across three years. By correlating the changes with national policies and political incidents, we revealed three key factors influencing Ookla infrastructure deployment: the influence of broadband consumer protection policies encouraging ISPs to operate speed test servers, geopolitical tensions leading to the removal of over 64% of speed test servers from telecommunications companies in response to tensions with Russia, and Ookla’s own policies impacting 53% of Japanese customers who lost access to on-net servers.