Accenture Acquires Ookla of Speedtest Fame
Accenture is acquiring Ookla, the company best known for its widely used Speedtest internet performance tool. The move is intended to bolster Accenture's network analytics and digital transformation consulting services, reflecting a trend of major consultancies buying deep technical expertise.
Before its acquisition by Accenture, Ookla was a key part of Ziff Davis's "Connectivity" division. This entire division, which also includes network monitoring tool Downdetector, Wi-Fi design company Ekahau, and mobile analytics firm RootMetrics, was sold to Accenture for $1.2 billion in cash. The sale represents a significant return on investment for Ziff Davis, which acquired Ookla in 2014. The Connectivity division generated $231 million in revenue in 2025, accounting for approximately 16% of Ziff Davis's total revenue. Ookla was founded in 2006 by Mike Apgar and Doug Suttles. The name "Ookla" was suggested by Suttles, who already owned the domain name in honor of his cat, which was named after a character from the TV series *Thundarr the Barbarian*. The company's flagship product, Speedtest.net, has become a ubiquitous tool for measuring internet performance, with over 52.3 billion tests completed as of February 2024. Accenture's acquisition of Ookla and its sister companies is aimed at enhancing its network intelligence and AI-driven enterprise services. The data from Ookla's platforms, which capture over 1,000 attributes per test, will provide Accenture with deep insights to help clients optimize their digital infrastructure, particularly with the rollout of 5G and the increasing importance of AI.
