Electronic Frontier Foundation: Binge On is throttling

[raino]

I watched the announcement, they made it clear that it would be turned on for everyone a week or so after the event... it was pretty well publicized and Legere talked about how the picked 'opt-out' so people would give it a look before disabling it. Maybe a broadcast SMS message or email was warrented (though, I can't really remember if they did that or not to be honest).

Right. I didn't watch the announcement, but found out soon enough, since I read tech blogs. But how many of TMO's customers do? Regardless, like I went on to say in my post, the BO toggle was NOT initially available in my account. At that time, I assumed I was perhaps somehow excluded (because I have a grandfathered plan,) but the toggle is there in my account as of 12/31. So it's possible that TMO may have been throttling and "optimizing" my lines starting a week out from the announcement, just without giving me the choice to opt out.

Maybe a broadcast SMS message or email was warrented (though, I can't really remember if they did that or not to be honest).

Apparently they did send out SMS and/or email messages informing customers, but I never got either, nor did the authorized user or the third non-authorized user on my account. Again, it may have had something to do with my grandfathered plan, but regardless, I never got it.

What I would like to know is that since BO is an individual line option, did TMO send notifications to all lines on accounts, or just the primary/authorized line?

 

[Ry]

IMO, BingeOn is specifically marketed as "using these streaming services won't count against your data allotment". Videos services outside of those partner streaming services should not be throttled.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Right. I didn't watch the announcement, but found out soon enough, since I read tech blogs. But how many of TMO's customers do? Regardless, like I went on to say in my post, the BO toggle was NOT initially available in my account. At that time, I assumed I was perhaps somehow excluded (because I have a grandfathered plan,) but the toggle is there in my account as of 12/31. So it's possible that TMO may have been throttling and "optimizing" my lines starting a week out from the announcement, just without giving me the choice to opt out.



Apparently they did send out SMS and/or email messages informing customers, but I never got either, nor did the authorized user or the third non-authorized user on my account. Again, it may have had something to do with my grandfathered plan, but regardless, I never got it.

What I would like to know is that since BO is an individual line option, did TMO send notifications to all lines on accounts, or just the primary/authorized line?

Have you checked the text options in your account?

I think also you have another issue happening. I haven't noticed a difference in any streaming at all. My YouTube and others didn't buffer before and don't now.

 

[raino]

Have you checked the text options in your account?

Yes. I get payment notifications (456,) information on how to block third-party charges (459,) etc. Basically all I don't get from TMO are marketing messages. So unless they marked some as big as this as marketing, I see no reason why I (or my two other lineholders) were not informed.

I think also you have another issue happening. I haven't noticed a difference in any streaming at all. My YouTube and others didn't buffer before and don't now.

I didn't have any issues after I disabled BO.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Yes. I get payment notifications (456,) information on how to block third-party charges (459,) etc. Basically all I don't get from TMO are marketing messages. So unless they marked some as big as this as marketing, I see no reason why I (or my two other lineholders) were not informed.



I didn't have any issues after I disabled BO.

I just checked my messages, I didn't see that I got a text about Binge On and I am the only one that gets all the texts.

I knew about this because I watched the announcement, live.

 

[anon(3653)]

In November I received texts and emails about it. From November through December there was a message on my main account page when I logged in to My Account on the web about Binge On.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Yes there was a message on my account about it. I don't have any emails that come from TMO only texts, but I also could have deleted the text because I already knew all about it.

 

[LeoRex]

That being said, the criticisms pointed at T-Mobile have little to do with the merits of opt-in vs. Opt-out. It is being framed as T-Mobile dishonestly degrading service behind their customers' backs.

It's sensationalistic, gotcha journalism and that's what annoys me. It's an optional service that was well publicized in a huge press event and explained throughout their pages. Don't like it - turn it off, it's that easy

 

[matty032]

I just signed up with T-Mobile just for the Binge On. The spousal unit wants to stream video in the car for the rugrat to watch. And just an hour of Netflix used up 500meg on Verizon. I can't afford to pay $200 bucks for Unlimited on someone else. So, I will be highly pissed if all this BS about an option that can be turned off in account settings, ends the Binge On option. My kid doesn't care if her video is 480p or 1080p.

 

[Ry]

http://www.pocketnow.com/2016/01/11/john-legere-eff-apology

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

 

[raino]

Seriously, John Legere should just stop BSing now. On BO, like everyone else, I get throttled (or as he would put it "experience the benefit of Binge On") but I do not get to tether. At all. It was blocked on my grandfathered plan, and still is, with or without BO turned on. And they chose to make it opt-out because they don't want people missing out. So they buried it on their website, the opt-out.

These defensive explanations are stretching into Zoolander logic now.

 

[Droidsarethebest]

I just signed up with T-Mobile just for the Binge On. The spousal unit wants to stream video in the car for the rugrat to watch. And just an hour of Netflix used up 500meg on Verizon. I can't afford to pay $200 bucks for Unlimited on someone else. So, I will be highly pissed if all this BS about an option that can be turned off in account settings, ends the Binge On option. My kid doesn't care if her video is 480p or 1080p.

It's not going anywhere... It's here to stay.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[raino]

Stanford study: Binge On likely illegal

Stanford study: T-Mobile's Binge On is 'likely illegal' | The Verge

 

[Ry]

Stanford study: Binge On likely illegal

Stanford study: T-Mobile's Binge On is 'likely illegal' | The Verge

But but but you can turn it off! :/

 

[anon(5719825)]

But but but you can turn it off! :/

This is why I think T-Mobile isn't doing anything wrong. I saw the option to disable Binge On right on the main page of my account. They give you the choice to keep it on or turn it off.

 

[tonyr6]

I tried Netflix Bing On using LTE just to see how much they throttle the video. Well it is not good. Playing the test clip they throttle Netflix to the cruddy 1050kbps 640x480 streams which is not DVD 480p+ quality. What is truly DVD quality is the 1750kbps 720x480 streams which is the same aspect ratio as true DVD's. At 1750kbps it looks good on a small screen but at 1050kbps it looks horrible.

 

[raino]

They give you the choice to keep it on or turn it off.

I think a better choice would have been to turn it on or keep it off.

 

[anon(5719825)]

I think a better choice would have been to turn it on or keep it off.

I agree.

 

[Centralboy545]

The thing is, it didn't turn off. YouTube on all 3 of my family lines buffer YouTube even with the option turned "off".

Think that's just your location bro. YouTube never buffers like what u say it did. Even with binge on on lol.

 

[UDPGuy]

Think that's just your location bro. YouTube never buffers like what u say it did. Even with binge on on lol.

Before it was part of binge on it was a known issue. Now that it's an official partner (aka the bitrate is where it needs to be) you won't have issues.

Posted via the Android Central App