T-Mobile accused of downgrading YouTube video quality without consent
T-Mobile is reportedly downgrading the quality of YouTube clips viewed by customers, even though the service isn't a partner in T-Mobile's Binge On program.
"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 remarked to the Wall Street Journal.
Binge On allows some T-Mobile subscribers to watch services like HBO, Netflix, and Sling TV without the data counting towards their monthly cap. With the option on, however, video is also downgraded to 480p (DVD) quality.
The Internet Association -- of which Google is a member -- claimed that Binge On "appears to involve throttling of all video traffic, across all data plans, regardless of network congestion."
T-Mobile declined to address the video degradation problem, but told the Journal that YouTube's exclusion from Binge On is the result of a technical obstacle. The software used to flag videos as exempt from data caps can't always identify YouTube clips, T-Mobile said, adding that it has talked with YouTube but may need more time to fix the issue.
Binge On and programs like it are under scrutiny by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, which is concerned that they may violate net neutrality principles. Services excluded from Binge On could be said to have second-tier status on T-Mobile's network, and thus an inherent disadvantage.
"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 remarked to the Wall Street Journal.
Binge On allows some T-Mobile subscribers to watch services like HBO, Netflix, and Sling TV without the data counting towards their monthly cap. With the option on, however, video is also downgraded to 480p (DVD) quality.
The Internet Association -- of which Google is a member -- claimed that Binge On "appears to involve throttling of all video traffic, across all data plans, regardless of network congestion."
T-Mobile declined to address the video degradation problem, but told the Journal that YouTube's exclusion from Binge On is the result of a technical obstacle. The software used to flag videos as exempt from data caps can't always identify YouTube clips, T-Mobile said, adding that it has talked with YouTube but may need more time to fix the issue.
Binge On and programs like it are under scrutiny by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, which is concerned that they may violate net neutrality principles. Services excluded from Binge On could be said to have second-tier status on T-Mobile's network, and thus an inherent disadvantage.
Comments
Why are you not on WiFi?
And if you're somewhere that isn't near WiFi, aren't you already doing something more interesting than watching ****ing television?
He used 26 GB one month but sometime later, Sprint came out with a throttling policy after 23 GB.
None of that makes any sense. If you don't pay for some kind of WiFi and use cellular instead, you're an idiot.
I am not sure I understand what the issue is here.
-kpluck
So, that idea makes not much sense for well, just about anyone.
Around here, its not even close, I can get unlimited internet at almost the highest speed for $75.
I could get 5G of mid range speed for about $25.
The cheapest pure data LTE plan for tablets and access point is $40 for 5G; that's not even a cell phone plan.
Getting to 20G would be very expensive.
Our family plan, 5 iPhones is $265, all unlimited data. and it would be more like 250 except my niece added Sprint insurance to her plan
My son watches a lot of streaming video on the school bus. Since we have unlimited data (T-Mobile), he's been burning around 15GB watching ESPN on the school bus, and occasionally hosting his data-limited friends wifi on the bus.
FWIW, with our "Simple Choice Unlimited" plan, I am seeing 1080p YouTube video on my Moto X (today). I haven't checked his iPhone 5S yet, but I have a feeling this throttling is only for data-limited plans. The unlimited plan is a bargain, at $100 for the two of us, I can add my daughter in a couple months for $10, and we'll still be unlimited at un-throttled LTE speeds.
Regarding wifi use, I only connect to wifi at home and work. Everywhere else, I prefer to stay LTE because the bandwidth is fine, and I'm not connecting to so many unknown networks.
It's no surprise that mobile providers would somehow start interfering with the bit-rates/compression of any delivered video under the guise of "saving data" without the user consent or notification.
Lying, cheating, stealing bastards, they are. They're taking our bits.
Yeah, well, my wifi portable NAS has 2T of well, just about everything in the world (6000 45 minutes episodes at normal speed, 3000 movies) ...
That I've loaded up (but, kids listen to the same thing 100 times straight so you don't really need all that much).
That's a hell of a lot of children's programming BTW; by the time she'd gone through that drive, she'd be ready for high school probably.
I think I'm covered if I go cross country I don't have to depend on the whim of T-Mobile and anyone else really.
I often just leave mine in my purse and connect to with whatever device I have at the moment.
Live video is not really something I need all that much; that's the only time were getting a LTE makes any sense to me.
The nearly 100% drivel on youtune I can wait to see that.