YouTube is accusing T-Mobile US of throttling or degrading video traffic with its latest Binge On video programme, the Wall Street Journal reported, saying the news comes as federal regulators examine the carrier’s streaming-video strategy. It’s making it so that video streaming services will feel compelled to go through Binge On if they want their customers to be able to watch their content without fear of exceeding monthly limits. That means that YouTube’s streaming quality is hurt by Binge On, but T-Mobile customers get no benefit in exchange – it still counts toward their data cap (albeit, they use less data than they would have when streaming HD).
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Some consumer advocates are anxious Binge On could be the beginning of attempts to circumvent net-neutrality rules.
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UPDATE: T-Mobile declined to answer questions, but pointed to a tweet from CEO John Legere, which said that Binge On gives customers “streaming video w/o hitting their data bucket AND complete control to turn it on/off at will!” One service that’s missing from that group is YouTube, and today we may have some more information about why it’s not included.
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It’s not clear whether YouTube has spoken with the FCC about the issue. YouTube has not signed up to be included in T-Mobile’s Binge On service and says that the carrier is throttling its traffic. YouTube videos thus still count against data caps, but YouTube isn’t exempt from the throttling.
T-Mobile’s Binge On feature includes more than 20 streaming services, all of which are limited to 480p resolution when the feature is enabled.
T-Mobile said last month that 24 providers, including Netflix Inc. and Time Warner Inc.’s HBO, are part of Binge On.
The Internet Association argued that T-Mobile shouldn’t automatically opt customers and video services into the Binge On program.
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Although YouTube has not yet filed any formal complaint, the FCC is already taking a closer look into T-Mobile’s rather contentious new program. “However, a reasonably designed zero-rating program does not include the throttling of traffic for services or consumers that do not participate”.
