Turn Off Binge If You Don’t Want T-Mobile to Restrict Your Data
T-Mobile’s new Binge On plan is making a splash by limiting video streaming services whether they are on board or not. However, recent tests by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) show that Binge On effectively limits all video-related data, including downloads.
EFF decided to look into T-Mobiles’ Binge On ‘optimization’ technology after hearing about customer complaints. Their tests showed that the T-Mobile network effectively limits all HTML5 video streams and video downloads for later viewing to around 1.5Mbps when Binge On is turned on (including tethered connections), regardless of whether the phone has the ability to download at higher speeds. Even if nothing indicates that the video file is a video file (file extension without video, HTTP headers without video, etc.), Uploads are still subject to throttling. As a result, if you have Binge On turned on, your data will be limited, especially if it’s a video.
Moreover, the EFF found that T-Mobile’s “optimization” does not actually modify or improve the video stream to make it more efficiently delivered over the mobile network; T-Mobile simply drops the video stream speed down to 1.5 Mbps. EFF contacted T-Mobile for clarification, and they confirmed that their “optimization” was simply cutting back on the bandwidth allocated to the customer. Jeremy Gillula of EFF explains:
T-Mobile said this practice is not really “throttling,” but we disagree. This is clearly not an “optimization” as T-Mobile does not alter the actual content of the video streams in any way. Even the term “downgrade” is imprecise because it would mean that video streams will simply be given a lower priority than other traffic.
This is a major concern for T-Mobile customers. You have to choose between limiting your data and streaming crappy videos, or you can turn Binge On off every time you need a decent download speed or video quality . However, this solution itself presents a different problem. While T-Mobile does not have traditional “hard” data transfer restrictions, the data rate will be downgraded to 2G once you exceed a certain amount. If you’re not careful with your data when Binge On is turned off, you run the risk of accessing your data across the board. As EFF explains, T-Mobile’s Binge On throttling, while new, is exactly the type of thing that should prevent net neutrality. You can find out more about the tests at the link below.
Update: A T-Mobile spokesperson contacted us to say that Binge On does not cap download speeds, nor do they slow down download speeds when Binge On is active. They also indicated that customers can turn it on or off as they see fit, and their CEO explained how the Binge On service works in a blog post here .
EFF Confirms T-Mobile Binge Optimization Is Just A Limitation And Applies Indiscriminately To All Videos | Electronic Frontier Foundation