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YouTube Accuses T-Mobile of Downgrading All Video With Binge On Program
YouTube this morning provided a statement to The Wall Street Journal criticizing T-Mobile's recently introduced Binge On program and accusing T-Mobile of throttling all video and not just the video of its Binge On partners.
Launched in November, Binge On is a T-Mobile video service that allows T-Mobile subscribers to watch video from content partners without it counting against customer data plans. The catch is that it uses a proprietary data compression algorithm to stream the video in 480p. While Binge On can be disabled, using the feature requires partner video to be watched in 480p, which T-Mobile calls "DVD quality."
T-Mobile has 24 partners for Binge On, including Netflix, HBO, Sling TV, and more, but YouTube has not signed up to participate. Despite the fact that YouTube is not partnering with T-Mobile, the company says its video streams are still being downgraded to 480p quality, a problem YouTube would like fixed.
T-Mobile did not address YouTube's complaints when questioned by The Wall Street Journal, instead giving a blanket statement about Binge On. Customers love "free streaming video that never hits their data bucket" and "the quality of their video experience and the complete control they have."
The United States Federal Communications Commission is looking into Binge On along with free data services from AT&T and Comcast. While there is no formal inquiry at this time, the FCC has asked the three companies to answer some questions about their free data practices. YouTube's accusations could further spark the FCC's interest, especially as some consumer advocates believe that programs like Binge On violate net neutrality rules.
Launched in November, Binge On is a T-Mobile video service that allows T-Mobile subscribers to watch video from content partners without it counting against customer data plans. The catch is that it uses a proprietary data compression algorithm to stream the video in 480p. While Binge On can be disabled, using the feature requires partner video to be watched in 480p, which T-Mobile calls "DVD quality."
T-Mobile has 24 partners for Binge On, including Netflix, HBO, Sling TV, and more, but YouTube has not signed up to participate. Despite the fact that YouTube is not partnering with T-Mobile, the company says its video streams are still being downgraded to 480p quality, a problem YouTube would like fixed.
YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., said T-Mobile is effectively throttling, or degrading, its traffic. "Reducing data charges can be good for users, but it doesn't justify throttling all video services, especially without explicit user consent," a YouTube spokesman said.The Internet Association also backed up YouTube's claim, stating that T-Mobile's Binge On service "appears to involve the throttling of all video traffic, across all data plans, regardless of network congestion."
T-Mobile did not address YouTube's complaints when questioned by The Wall Street Journal, instead giving a blanket statement about Binge On. Customers love "free streaming video that never hits their data bucket" and "the quality of their video experience and the complete control they have."
The United States Federal Communications Commission is looking into Binge On along with free data services from AT&T and Comcast. While there is no formal inquiry at this time, the FCC has asked the three companies to answer some questions about their free data practices. YouTube's accusations could further spark the FCC's interest, especially as some consumer advocates believe that programs like Binge On violate net neutrality rules.
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36 months ago
Net neutrality issues aside, life is too short to watch video in SD. It's 2015.
36 months ago
Oh puhlease, you're getting the content for FREE WITH NO DATA USAGE. Cry me a river. And 480p on a few inch screen is more than enough fort he average person to allow everyone to get it for no data cost. You can never please everyone obviously. Turn it off if you dont like it and suck your data.
You clearly didn't read the article. YouTube found evidence that the videos were being throttled, whether the customers have the feature turned on or not.
36 months ago
Oh puhlease, you're getting the content for FREE WITH NO DATA USAGE. Cry me a river. And 480p on a few inch screen is more than enough fort he average person to allow everyone to get it for no data cost. You can never please everyone obviously. Turn it off if you dont like it and suck your data.
36 months ago
I and many others were of the opinion that T-Mobile choosing to decline to charge for streaming video and audio were not a violation of the purpose of net neutrality, because they offered it to all.
Now I hear about "partners" and evidence of throttling a non-partner, and I have switched camps. This is absolutely a violation of net neutrality.
Now I hear about "partners" and evidence of throttling a non-partner, and I have switched camps. This is absolutely a violation of net neutrality.
36 months ago
Oh puhlease, you're getting the content for FREE WITH NO DATA USAGE. Cry me a river. And 480p on a few inch screen is more than enough fort he average person to allow everyone to get it for no data cost. You can never please everyone obviously. Turn it off if you dont like it and suck your data.
you didn't read the article. YouTube isn't a Binge partner, therefore it's not free or sponsored data -- you're paying for it. thus it shouldn't be throttled. and there's no way to turn it off since it isn't supposed to be throttled anyway.
36 months ago
So to summarize:
- turn on the "Binge On" setting if you're okay with 480p quality video from everyone *and* you would also like to not have the data be deducted from your data bucket when watching video from TMobile's 24 partners
- turn off the "Binge On" setting if you want 720p or higher quality video *and* are okay with all data that's used be deducted from your data bucket.
It's your choice.
I see nothing wrong here.
- turn on the "Binge On" setting if you're okay with 480p quality video from everyone *and* you would also like to not have the data be deducted from your data bucket when watching video from TMobile's 24 partners
- turn off the "Binge On" setting if you want 720p or higher quality video *and* are okay with all data that's used be deducted from your data bucket.
It's your choice.
I see nothing wrong here.
36 months ago
Still sounds like a nice deal for car trips etc, I don't really care if something on my phone is 480p.
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