AT&T to throttle streaming video quality by default in 2017
AT&T on Friday announced Stream Saver, an upcoming "data-saving" feature that automatically reduces high-resolution streaming video content to standard definition DVD quality for mobile service subscribers, including those with unlimited data plans.
According to AT&T, Stream Saver saves on data by scanning incoming data streams and capping detected high definition content to 1.5 Mbps, roughly the equivalent of DVD video, or about 480p. The service will be turned on by default for new and existing customers when it launches in early 2017.
Depending on how content providers deliver video streams, Stream Saver in some cases might not be able to detect and optimize video, AT&T says.
Stream Saver affects all postpaid rate plans, including Mobile Share Advantage, AT&T Unlimited Plan, Mobile Share Value, Mobile Share, AT&T 1GB Tablet Plan, AT&T 1GB Car Plan, Unlimited Data plan and others. It will also be applied to certain AT&T GoPhone plans, excluding those that serve connected vehicles.
AT&T is spinning Stream Saver as a positive for consumers; a free, value-added feature that helps customers avoid overage fees.
"We know our customers love to be entertained while mobile, and Stream Saver lets them enjoy more of what they love, whether it's video or something else," said David Christopher, chief marketing officer at AT&T Entertainment Group. "And, they are in control - it's their choice on how to use this innovative feature."
Though the feature is switched on by default, subscribers have the option of turning it off -- and on again -- at no extra cost via myAT&T, Premiere, or by dialing 611 from a smartphone.
AT&T says it will notify customers by text message when Stream Saver goes live.
According to AT&T, Stream Saver saves on data by scanning incoming data streams and capping detected high definition content to 1.5 Mbps, roughly the equivalent of DVD video, or about 480p. The service will be turned on by default for new and existing customers when it launches in early 2017.
Depending on how content providers deliver video streams, Stream Saver in some cases might not be able to detect and optimize video, AT&T says.
Stream Saver affects all postpaid rate plans, including Mobile Share Advantage, AT&T Unlimited Plan, Mobile Share Value, Mobile Share, AT&T 1GB Tablet Plan, AT&T 1GB Car Plan, Unlimited Data plan and others. It will also be applied to certain AT&T GoPhone plans, excluding those that serve connected vehicles.
AT&T is spinning Stream Saver as a positive for consumers; a free, value-added feature that helps customers avoid overage fees.
"We know our customers love to be entertained while mobile, and Stream Saver lets them enjoy more of what they love, whether it's video or something else," said David Christopher, chief marketing officer at AT&T Entertainment Group. "And, they are in control - it's their choice on how to use this innovative feature."
Though the feature is switched on by default, subscribers have the option of turning it off -- and on again -- at no extra cost via myAT&T, Premiere, or by dialing 611 from a smartphone.
AT&T says it will notify customers by text message when Stream Saver goes live.
Comments
This is just a way to gouge customers for more money by going "Hey did you know AT&T offers 115Mbps downlink speeds on LTE? That's good enough to watch a UHD Movie while in the car, on the bus, on the train!" etc. In all practicality Mobile data tends to be rubbish because AT&T and others don't provide enough capacity through enough towers. Go to any convention, any, and try to use your mobile phone once the doors open. It will be nearly useless. Comic convention in town? Forget even being able to use Skype.
They do not want to offer Unlimited, Unmetered data because there goes their data overage fees. But people want to watch videos during their transit commutes, maybe not UHD, but many mobile devices have HD screen resolutions.
This feature is only something someone would want enabled on portable hot-spots, eg those shared by 6 or so users, eg on a bus/car/train so that it doesn't render the connection useless (eg Amtrak Cascades has WiFi, but it's completely useless through most of the trip due to the Cellular link shared by everyone on the train. Yet, if you switch to your own Data, you also find out there is no coverage throughout half the trip anyway.) Otherwise, if only one device is on the data connection, this feature actually makes the network look slower than it really is.
Faster service? No. Better video? No. More data? NO!
Shouldn't things be getting better, stronger, faster, and cheaper?
But the reality is that many people won't really care very much and some people won't even notice. And that's fine. Those who don't want the service can just turn it off. All-around the negative effect on the consumer is very small but there is a justifiable positive effect—less congestion equals better network performance for other services and less data used on the individual's plan.
While I agree with your point, I suspect that this was in the works long before the election of Trump.
But, for myself, I worry less about Trump than I do about the extremely radicalized Ayn Rand conservatives who have been activated and empowered. Their mission is to shred the consumer protections and safety nets that have served this nation for decades. The consequences will not be immediate. but there will be consequences. Those programs were put in place to solve problems. Removing them will open flood gates of issues and problems that we haven't seen in decades.
This should be OPT-IN ONLY, the average person will not even have a clue!
As a former AT&T employee myself, it's really not surprising. The leader at the top is so full of himself, he believes he can do no wrong.