Ask Matt: Will more streaming hurt T

Isn’t it possible that one of T-Mobile’s motives here is to move video streams to a lower data rate (Binge On is sub-high-definition quality), making it easier for the network to manage the demand for bandwidth? T-Mobile needs to be able to identify incoming traffic as video so that it can apply the optimization tech that enables Binge On’s free streaming, and while YouTube videos usually use the HTTPS protocol that T-Mo can identify, sometimes it uses another protocol called UDP that Magenta has more problems analyzing. But I think it’s fundamentally misreading the market and T-Mobile’s motives to think of these initiatives as anticompetitive.

T-Mobile’s Binge On plan: short-term treat, long-term trouble? T-Mobile, along with Sprint Corp, is also slowing down the users who are overusing their unlimited plans, which is weighing on the companies’ networks. “When you give people unlimited, they use it in a significant way”, he said.

T-Mobile introduced a new wireless subscription that offers free Netflix and other video streaming services for their customers. “We are in a hurry, honestly”, he said. The new data-free video streaming service will hike up the wireless data plan costs for the mobile carrier’s new customers, according to Variety. “Video is by far the largest contributor to data usage today, and including video from so many major providers risks a substantial increase in usage”. It works with 24 different services including Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, Watch ESPN, Vevo, and all kinds of other services. However, one video streaming service is noticeably absent: Youtube. T-Mobile CEO John Legere says those with smaller plans probably weren’t streaming much video anyway. The best thing about Binge On is that all the video services will not be charged to the qualifying customer’s data allowance, the report details. The base plan which is now 2GB of data stays the same at $50; the second tier has gone from 3GB for $60 to 6GB for $65; the third tier has gone from 5GB for $70 to 10GB for $80; and the unlimited data plan has gone from 7GB of hotspot data for $80 to 14GB of hotspot data for $95.

A new plan from T-Mobile U.S. to allow unlimited streaming of a few video services may become the first test of the federal government’s rules to prevent favoritism on the Internet. A user can add a second line for $30 a month and add up to 12 more lines for $10 a month each – all with 2 GB of 4G LTE data.