Accenture announced Monday it will acquire Ookla, owner of popular platforms Speedtest and Downdetector, from Ziff Davis for $1.2 billion in cash. The global consulting giant said the deal, covering Ookla’s entire network intelligence portfolio, will provide critical data foundations for enterprise clients deploying artificial intelligence systems. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.
The move represents a strategic bet on the growing importance of network performance data as businesses increasingly rely on artificial intelligence systems that demand robust, low-latency connectivity. Accenture Chair and CEO Julie Sweet emphasized this vision, stating, “By acquiring Ookla, we will help our clients across business and government scale AI safely and build the trusted data foundations they need to deliver the reliable, seamless connectivity that creates value,” according to the company’s announcement.
The acquisition encompasses Ookla’s entire Connectivity division, including four key product lines: Speedtest, Downdetector, Ekahau for Wi-Fi network design, and RootMetrics for mobile network analytics, Reuters reported. Accenture plans to integrate Ookla’s data, which includes over 1,000 attributes per test, into its consulting services for communications providers, hyperscalers, enterprises in banking and retail, and government agencies.
Consumer Services to Continue
A critical question for millions of users worldwide is whether the popular free services will remain accessible. According to The Verge, Accenture told Ars Technica it will continue to run the Ookla “business as it operates today.” This approach is essential, as the widespread public use of these tools serves as the primary mechanism for data collection that makes the platform valuable.
The commercial strategy will focus on expanding Ookla’s existing data-licensing business while integrating its analytics into Accenture’s enterprise service offerings. The consulting giant sees particular value in serving telecommunications operators, creating an interesting dynamic where Accenture will now own a primary benchmarking tool used to evaluate its own clients.
The dataset’s scope raises important considerations. Speedtest collects network performance metrics alongside user IP addresses, precise geolocation with consent, and unique device identifiers including IMSI and IMEI numbers, according to Ookla’s privacy policy. Downdetector aggregates service outage data from user reports and social media. This combination of detailed network mapping, device identifiers, and user locations could prove invaluable for enterprise AI deployments but also presents potential privacy and security implications that regulators will likely scrutinize during the approval process.
Sources
- Accenture
- Reuters
- The Verge
- Ars Technica
