YouTube Says T-Mobile is Degrading Its Video Quality

YouTube is accusing T-Mobile of interfering with its video traffic and delivering media to users at a lower quality, reports the WSJ.

T-Mobile recently launched its Binge On program that delivers video at a lower quality in exchange for waiving data fees. However, it appears that the company is doing the same for all sites including those that aren't part of the program.

YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., said T-Mobile is effectively throttling, or degrading, its traffic. “Reducing data charges can be good for users, but it doesn’t justify throttling all video services, especially without explicit user consent,” a YouTube spokesman said.


T-Mobile declined to comment on the accusation but said its customers “love having free streaming video that never hits their data bucket” and like “both the quality of their video experience and the complete control they have.”

The Internet Association has corroborated YouTube's report saying that T-Mobile’s new practice “appears to involve throttling of all video traffic, across all data plans, regardless of network congestion.”

Recently the FCC adopted net neutrality rules which are supposed to ensure that Internet providers to discriminate against traffic from a specific source. The FCC already took took notice of Binge On and similar services and has sent letters to T-Mobile, AT&T, and Comcast to question them about their respective services.

T-Mobile argues that the program is within regulations, open to all video providers, and can be turned off.


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