How to Run an Accurate Mobile Speed Test (5G & 4G LTE) in 2025

What Affects Your Mobile Internet Speed?

Mobile internet speeds are inherently more variable than wired home connections. Key factors include:

• Signal Strength & Quality: How many bars do you have? Being closer to a cell tower with fewer obstructions drastically improves speed. Signal quality (SNR - Signal-to-Noise Ratio) also matters.
• Network Type (5G vs. 4G LTE): 5G generally offers much higher potential speeds than 4G LTE, but coverage varies. Even within 5G, there are different types (low-band, mid-band, high-band/mmWave) with vastly different speed capabilities and ranges.
• Network Congestion: Just like home internet, mobile networks slow down when many users in the same area are connected simultaneously (e.g., concerts, sporting events, rush hour).
• Your Mobile Plan: Some plans have speed caps or data deprioritization thresholds, meaning your speed might be intentionally slowed after using a certain amount of data.
• Your Device: Older phones may not support the latest, fastest network bands (like newer 5G frequencies). The phone's processor and modem also play a role.
• Location & Environment: Speeds can differ significantly indoors vs. outdoors, and even moving a few feet can change signal reception.

Steps for an Accurate Mobile Speed Test

To get the most meaningful mobile speed test result, follow these tips:

1. Turn Off Wi-Fi: This is crucial! Ensure your phone is using your cellular data (5G/4G LTE icon visible), not connected to a Wi-Fi network.
2. Check Signal Strength: Note the number of signal bars displayed on your phone. A test run with 1 bar will naturally be much slower than one with full bars.
3. Minimize Background Activity: Close apps that might be using data in the background (streaming music, syncing photos, app updates).
4. Stay Stationary: Run the test while standing still in one location. Moving around can cause speed fluctuations as your phone connects to different towers or signal strength changes.
5. Run the Test: Open your phone's web browser and navigate to SwiftSpeedTest.com. Click Start.
6. Test Multiple Times/Locations (Optional): Due to variability, testing a few times in the same spot can give a better average. Testing in different locations where you frequently use your phone (home, work, commute spots) provides insight into real-world performance.

Understanding Your Mobile Results

Expect mobile speed test results (Download Mbps, Upload Mbps, Ping ms) to vary more than home internet tests. Focus on the general range you achieve in locations important to you.

• Good 4G LTE: Might range from 10-50+ Mbps download.
• Good 5G (Mid-Band): Often 50-300+ Mbps download (most common type currently).
• Good 5G (High-Band/mmWave): Can exceed 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) but has very limited range/coverage.
• Upload Speeds: Typically much lower than download on mobile networks. 5-20 Mbps upload is common.
• Ping (Latency): Often higher than home broadband. Under 60ms is good for most mobile use; under 40ms is better for mobile gaming.

Use these results to understand what your mobile connection can realistically handle (e.g., smooth HD streaming, responsive browsing) in different areas.