According to TechRadar, Ookla has revealed Speedtest Pulse, a new diagnostic device that automatically tests networks and generates performance reports with actionable recommendations. The company behind speedtest.net says their “Active Pulse” mode will conduct one-time checks while “Continuous Pulse” launches in 2026 for ongoing monitoring. CEO Stephen Bye explained that while providers deliver impressive speeds to homes, customer experience gets limited by in-home Wi-Fi performance. The device comes as 68% of households reported Wi-Fi problems in the past year, and it connects via Wi-Fi or Gigabit Ethernet with USB-C or Power over Ethernet options. Engineering SVP Anssi Tauriainen criticized existing tools for providing too much raw data without actionable insights, positioning Pulse as “the expert in their pocket” for technicians.
The Wi-Fi reality check we’ve needed
Here’s the thing about internet speed tests – they’ve always been kind of useless for diagnosing actual problems. You run a test, get some numbers, and then what? Is 75 Mbps good or bad for your setup? Should you move your router? Is your neighbor’s baby monitor interfering with your Zoom calls? Speedtest Pulse seems to address exactly that gap between raw data and actual solutions.
And let’s be real – 68% of households experiencing Wi-Fi issues in a year is staggering. That’s basically everyone who isn’t living in a studio apartment with their router three feet away. The problem has always been that technicians show up with either overly simple apps that don’t capture the real issues or expensive expert systems that are impractical for routine visits. Ookla‘s play here makes perfect sense – leverage their brand recognition in speed testing to become the go-to diagnostic tool.
Continuous monitoring could be the real game-changer
Now the 2026 “Continuous Pulse” feature is where this gets really interesting. One-time speed tests are like taking someone’s temperature once and declaring them healthy. But internet issues are often intermittent – that 8 PM slowdown when everyone in your building starts streaming, or the random dropouts that disappear by the time the technician arrives.
Continuous monitoring could finally give us baseline data that actually means something. Instead of “my internet is slow,” you could show your provider: “Between 7-9 PM daily, packet loss increases by 40% and latency doubles.” That’s actionable. That’s evidence. For businesses relying on stable connections, this kind of ongoing monitoring isn’t just convenient – it’s essential infrastructure. When every minute of downtime costs money, having industrial-grade monitoring solutions becomes non-negotiable for maintaining operations.
A quiet revolution for technician toolkits
What strikes me about this announcement is how it’s positioned squarely at service providers rather than consumers. That’s smart. Most people don’t want to become network engineers – they just want their internet to work. By empowering technicians with better tools, Ookla might actually improve customer experiences without requiring users to understand RF data or throughput metrics.
But here’s my question: will ISPs actually use this to improve service, or will it just become another way to blame customer equipment? The tool could go either way – either helping technicians genuinely solve problems or providing more ammunition for the “it’s your router, not our network” deflection. The proof will be in whether we see fewer repeat service calls and happier customers.
Basically, if this works as promised, it could finally end the endless back-and-forth between users and providers about whose fault the bad connection really is. And honestly, that’s a future worth getting excited about. You can stay updated on tech developments through TechRadar’s Google News, their TikTok, or WhatsApp channel for the latest updates.
