Internet speed test firm Ookla acquires Bellevue-based RootMetrics

Seattle-based broadband measurement firm Ookla has acquired RootMetrics, the mobile network analytics firm headquartered in Bellevue.

An Ookla spokesperson said the companies aren't disclosing financial terms of the deal or the number of employees at the companies. The spokesperson added that the RootMetrics team will join Ookla as part of the deal.

“Ookla plus RootMetrics fully enables the network assessment trifecta of crowd measurement, controlled testing and consumer perception — with a sustainable business model that should thrive through the privacy revolution," Doug Suttles, Ookla co-founder and general manager, said in a news release.

On its website, RootMetrics now goes by "RootMetrics, an Ookla company."

RootMetrics, founded in 2008, creates reports that rank wireless carriers in different regions of the country. Its reports judge wireless carriers on factors like speed, accessibility and network reliability. The company also provides a coverage map that shows how well mobile networks perform in different parts of the country. Englewood, Colorado-based IHS, a research and analysis firm, acquired RootMetrics in 2015.

At the time of the acquisition by IHS, RootMetrics had 170 employees.

Ookla was founded in 2006. The company provides an internet speed test, called Speedtest, and an internet outage monitoring site, called Downdetector. Ookla also offers business solutions, helping companies make decisions with the help of Ookla's aggregate broadband speed and outage data.

In 2014, Ookla was acquired by the digital media company Ziff Davis, which is headquartered in New York City. Ziff Davis' brands include Mashable, IGN and Offers.com. The company also owns Moz, the Seattle-based search engine optimization company.

Of Ookla's roughly 170 employees, 67 are locally based, according to Business Journal research.

"Becoming part of Ookla completes the vision that Doug and I shared when we first met years ago," RootMetrics CEO Kevin Hasley said in a news release. "With our combined experience and expertise, we can better help our customers overcome challenges, optimize their networks and create opportunities. I am very excited to see our joint future unfold."