The FCC is asking the nation's broadband and smartphone users to use their broadband testing tools to help the feds and consumers know what speeds are actually available, not just promised by the nations' telecoms.

Starting Thursday, netizens can go to the FCC's Broadband.gov site, enter their address and test their broadband speed using one of two testing tools. iPhone and Android users can go to their respective app stores and download the FCC's first ever mobile app, which will report to the feds exactly how slow your connection actually is. The FCC is requiring the street address "it may use this data to analyze broadband quality and availability on a geographic basis."

Broadband connection testing isn't new, and is freely available online, but this might mark the first time that individual tests help to lead to informed policy making.

Crowdsourcing this data is a brilliant move, given that telecoms have long fought against telling federal regulators what areas they cover and at what speed, arguing that information will be used by competitors to poach their customers. The data can also be used as a way to prevent telecoms from over-promising and under-delivering on upload and download speeds. If you listen closely you might actually hear the telecom companies hitting the backspace key to revise the speed numbers on their promotional fliers.

But the FCC isn't forgetting about those left out of the broadband revolution and is asking those who live in a broadband "Dead Zone" by filling out a report online, calling the FCC at -888-CALL-FCC, faxing the e-mail or even sending a letter through the Postal Service.

The announcement comes just six days before the FCC presents the first ever national broadband plan to Congress. Goals include 100 million Americans with 100 Mbps service by 2010, bringing affordable broadband to rural and urban areas, and helping digital laggards get online.

The FCC is collecting IP addresses, along with physical addresses, but is not asking for names or e-mail addresses. They promise not to release the street addresses, with some exceptions noted in the privacy policy. A free Java plug-in is necessary to run the test.

Gentleman, start your browsers.

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