T-Mobile on Friday admitted that its Binge On service does slow down cellular data speeds when viewing content from streaming video sites. The carrier maintains that the feature is an “optimization,” and is not data throttling as has been charged.
In a statement provided to Wired, a T-Mobile representative confirmed that subscribers who opt in to Binge On will see downgraded connection speeds when streaming or downloading video from websites not participating in the service.
Debuting in November of last year, T-Mobile’s Binge-On program allows its Simple Choice customers to view video from 38 selected video streaming services, such as HBO, Netflix, Showtime, Hulu, and more, without the data counting toward their monthly video allotment. The catch is the video is downgraded to DVD (480p) quality.
T-Mobile’s CEO John Legere fired back at critics of the service earlier this week in a video statement:
“There are people out there saying we’re “throttling.” They’re playing semantics! Binge On does NOT permanently slow down data nor remove customer control. Here’s the thing, mobile customers don’t always want or need giant heavy data files. So we created adaptive video technology to optimize for mobile screens and stream at a bitrate designed to stretch your data (pssst, Google, that’s a GOOD thing). You get the same quality of video as watching a DVD – 480p or higher – but use only 1/3 as much data (or, of course, NO data used when it’s a Binge On content provider!). Watch more video, use less data from your service plan. That’s an important and valuable benefit!”
The Electronic Frontier Foundation said this week that T-Mobile is slowing down data to 1.5Mbps for all videos, not just those from its Binge On partners. The EFF says that while video from partner streaming services are not affected by the slowdown, as they know when to serve the video up at 480p. HD video from other providers, such as YouTube, results in a poor viewing experience.
