Internet speed test
CoverageMap API

Summary object

The summary object: 0 to 10 overall, performance, coverage and reliability scores for a carrier at a location.

Request the summary dataset for a simple answer to how a carrier performs at a location. The summary weighs the FCC coverage and speed test datasets into four scores from 0 to 10, with one decimal place, plus a few flags. You do not need to request the other datasets to get it. It is returned in the summary field of every coverage entry and costs 1 unit per location.

Example

Two coverage entries from a request with "datasets": ["summary"]. The first has speed tests nearby, so its scores are measured. The second has none, so its scores are estimated from FCC data alone:

Coverage entries
[
  {
    "provider": { "code": "VZW", "name": "Verizon Wireless" },
    "technology": { "code": "lte", "name": "LTE" },
    "summary": {
      "overall": 8.6,
      "performance": 7.9,
      "coverage": 9.5,
      "reliability": 7.7,
      "isFullyCovered": true,
      "source": "measured",
      "accuracy": "exact"
    }
  },
  {
    "provider": { "code": "ATT", "name": "AT&T Mobility" },
    "technology": { "code": "lte", "name": "LTE" },
    "summary": {
      "overall": 6.2,
      "performance": 5.1,
      "coverage": 7.4,
      "reliability": 4.8,
      "isFullyCovered": false,
      "source": "estimated",
      "accuracy": null
    }
  }
]

When the FCC has nothing for the provider and technology and there are no nearby speed tests, every score is 0:

No coverage
{
  "provider": { "code": "TMO", "name": "T-Mobile US" },
  "technology": { "code": "5g", "name": "5GNR" },
  "summary": {
    "overall": 0,
    "performance": 0,
    "coverage": 0,
    "reliability": 0,
    "isFullyCovered": false,
    "source": "estimated",
    "accuracy": null
  }
}

The field is only null when there are no nearby speed tests and no FCC data is available for the location, for example outside the US:

No data outside the US
{
  "provider": { "code": "BELL", "name": "Bell Mobility Inc." },
  "technology": { "code": "5g", "name": "5GNR" },
  "summary": null
}

Attributes

Every score is a number from 0 to 10 where 10 is best. The scores are followed by three fields that say how they were produced.

overallnumber
One score that blends coverage, reliability and performance, weighting coverage most, then reliability, then performance.
performancenumber
Based on the speeds and response times of nearby tests, and lowered by failed tests. Falls back to FCC data when there are no nearby tests.
coveragenumber
Based on FCC data and how often nearby tests got a usable connection. Failed or very slow tests nearby lower it, even where the FCC reports coverage.
reliabilitynumber
Based on the slowest nearby tests and failed tests, together with the weakest FCC coverage around the location. Falls back to FCC data when there are no nearby tests.
isFullyCoveredboolean
True when the FCC reports the whole area within 0.5 km as covered.
sourcestring
measured when speed tests were used; estimated when the scores come from FCC data alone. Estimated performance and reliability are discounted because nothing was measured on the ground.

Possible values: measured, estimated

accuracystringNullable
How close the tests used were: exact for the tested area the location sits in, high within 0.5 km, medium within 1 km and low within 2 km. Null when the summary is estimated.

Possible values: exact, high, medium, low

Notes

  • Measured scores use the smallest radius that has both download and upload tests, so they pool every test around the location rather than relying on one tested area.
  • The summary is only unavailable, and unbilled, when both of its inputs were temporarily unavailable for the whole response. When only one is missing the scores are still returned and source says which data they came from.