How does it feel to Binge-On?

[woodmd2]

Hi all,
I'm considering getting the T-Mobile contract to use Binge-On as the site makes it sound pretty cool. A few questions for you all that have it today, that can help me with that decision. Would appreciate your thoughts on the following;

1) What's the experience like when you actually use it? is the quality good? I see that it seems to downscale to 480p, but in that downscaling is the quality OK? or is it heavily compressed and not look good?
2) How does it behave in areas of high concentration? i.e. stadiums or Malls where some might be streaming another game? does it work?
3) Does it let you watch streamed video from home on the same terms? i.e. a security camera?

Thanks,
Martin

 

[Almeuit]

1) What's the experience like when you actually use it? is the quality good? I see that it seems to downscale to 480p, but in that downscaling is the quality OK? or is it heavily compressed and not look good?
2) How does it behave in areas of high concentration? i.e. stadiums or Malls where some might be streaming another game? does it work?
3) Does it let you watch streamed video from home on the same terms? i.e. a security camera?

I don't use Binge-On (I have unlimited data) but to help answer your questions.

1 - Go to a YouTube Video and set it to 480 and that will give you an idea of what you will see. They aren't doing anything more than adjusting it to that quality.

2 - I would assume it would work fine given the bandwidth being available. This goes for any task online really. It may help even in congested areas because your phone won't need as much data due to 480P versus 1080P.

3 - It only allows you to stream "data free" from these services (Binge On | Video Streaming without Using Your 4G LTE Data | T-Mobile click on the link here). All other services will stream at whatever you set them to and count again your data.

 

[woodmd2]

Thanks.. I wondered if they used their own downscaling which could have a higher compression and maybe lesser quality.

 

[raino]

1 - Go to a YouTube Video and set it to 480 and that will give you an idea of what you will see. They aren't doing anything more than adjusting it to that quality.

They are also throttling all data streams they discern as videos to 1.5mbps, regardless of congestion or lack thereof.

 

[Almeuit]

They are also throttling all data streams they discern as videos to 1.5mbps, regardless of congestion or lack thereof.

I know they were with YouTube. I didn't hear any other issues with other services. I could be wrong but not 100% sure. I have had it disabled since day 1.

 

[Droidsarethebest]

They are also throttling all data streams they discern as videos to 1.5mbps, regardless of congestion or lack thereof.

They do not throttle all data streams

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Droidsarethebest]

T-Mobile was not throttling You tube.....that was proven to be false

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[raino]

I know they were with YouTube. I didn't hear any other issues with other services. I could be wrong but not 100% sure. I have had it disabled since day 1.

It was in the EFF report. All video data--streams, downloaded, even misnamed video files--are throttled down to 1.5mbps.

They do not throttle all data streams

Where did I say that?

T-Mobile was not throttling You tube.....that was proven to be false

Source? Because you are directly contradicting EFF's findings.

 

[Almeuit]

It was in the EFF report. All video data--streams, downloaded, even misnamed video files--are throttled down to 1.5mbps.

DOH.. Yep you're right. I knew I was forgetting something with the whoel fiasco. My mind is burnt out from work .

T-Mobile was not throttling You tube.....that was proven to be false

Posted via the Android Central App

As Raino said the EFF did find all streams being locked to 1.5 Mbps which did cause issues with "non-partnered" sites.

 

[theelite1x87]

Binge on quality is fine. Sure, I'd love to keep full 1080p quality. But binge on let's me stream crazy amounts of video without hitting my 10gb cap. I'll take that trade off. As for signal in places like stadiums etc. I havnt had issues. Speeds were still good. Went to Cleveland auto show. Thousands of people in one place. And directly next to international airport. I'm sure the towers were hammered for all carriers. I still got stellar LTE speeds there.

 

[tonyr6]

Binge On is a scam it does not work on my account and I can find crap about why it still uses data. On my billing page it says I have it and yes it is on but it still uses data. I never use it but my father on my family plan uses YouTube quite often and he already nearly burned though a GB of data.

I am under Tony my father is under Hugo. We have the same first name so I put him down as Hugo.

Music Freedom however I use does work on most of my apps (Play Music, DI, RadioTunes, iHeart etc) except TuneIn Radio (another lie).

 

[raino]

Binge On is a scam it does not work on my account and I can find crap about why it still uses data. On my billing page it says I have it and yes it is on but it still uses data.

The zero-rating benefit is available only to plans with 53GB or more data. Lower data plans just get throttled without the benefit of video data being zero-rated. I see the confusion about this all the time, so I don't think TMO has done a good enough job clearing this up.

They could have easily named the zero-rating component Binge On and the optimization throttling something else, but they didn't. Uncarrier.

Music Freedom however I use does work on most of my apps (Play Music, DI, RadioTunes, iHeart etc) except TuneIn Radio (another lie).

TuneIn Premium is a part of Music Freedom. Were you told the general service was a part of MF?

 

[tonyr6]

Thank you yet my plan says I suppose to get Binge On another lie.

Just worry about my father. At home he uses LTE too I turn on Wifi at home but some reason when I check his phone he keeps turning off Wifi.

Edit I think you are right.

Includes Binge On optimized video streaming that saves your data.

Bad confusing wording. It says saves your data but nothing about unlimited data. Better to say

Includes Optimized Video streaming that saves your data.

Wait I am confused Even there most expensive plan says the same thing.

Includes Binge On optimized video streaming that saves your data.

So they are lying. I suppose to get Binge On. I don't care I use Play Music, DI and RadioTunes and my mother uses iHeart Radio which works with Music Freedom. It is my father with YouTube I worry about. At least they increased my usage from 1GB to 2GB which he did go over 1GB during Christmas eve watching boxing on YouTube.

 

[raino]

Thank you yet my plan says I suppose to get Binge On another lie.
View attachment 228928

See how it says "'optimized' video streaming that saves your data?" Well, the optimization part is a lie, but that wording is supposed to be their way of telling you that you don't get the zero-rating benefit, just the downgrading of your video to 480p and speed to 1.5mbps.

 

[tonyr6]

The higher 10 GB plans say the same thing. So they are lying. Just trying to keep my fathers phone on Wifi when he is home so he don't complain when his speeds slow down to dial up speeds is a bigger PITA.

 

[raino]

Just trying to keep my fathers phone on Wifi when he is home so he don't complain when his speeds slow down to dial up speeds is a bigger PITA.

Does he know how to turn WiFi on? If so, maybe you could deny the mobile data permission for the YouTube app. Of course, the downside would be that when he's not home or, in general, not around WiFi, YouTube wouldn't work for him. And that is not how it should be.

 

[Almeuit]

As raino said you have to be on the right plan. The text in the plan area could be off. If you have BingeOn it should be under profile and then media settings. I have a toggle there.

 

[tonyr6]

It's on all my phone lines. Just does not work which makes me think my plan does not have Binge On which is a lie.
My Plan

Simple Choice North America Plan: Unlimited Talk + Text Shared
International International Long Distance Blocking
Data Service 2 GB High-Speed Data

 

[Almeuit]

It's on all my phone lines. Just does not work which makes me think my plan does not have Binge On which is a lie.
My Plan

Do you see it where I said? The plan text could be wrong. If the plan text says it but the system isn't seeing it as a feature (where I showed) I'd say it isn't part of your plan. I'd honestly be shocked if it was since you only have 2 GB.

 

[raino]

It's on all my phone lines. Just does not work which makes me think my plan does not have Binge On which is a lie.

You definitely have Binge On: the component that benefits T-Mobile (downgrading of your video quality and throttling its speed.) You don't have the zero-rating component.

Nobody is spared from the part of BO that benefits TMO, but only a specific tier of data and more get the zero-rating "benefit." Uncarrier.