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back to article T-Mobile US finally lets websites escape Binge On's web vid crusher

T‑Mobile US will let video-streaming websites opt out of being included in Binge On. This is the service that lets people watch stuff online without the downloads counting against their monthly limits, although the video quality is deliberately reduced to 480p. Subscribers using Binge On can stream as much as they like all …

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  1. PleebSmasher
    Pirate

    email and then what?

    How is this going to work, a meta tag?

    "Video providers deciding to exclude their content from mobile optimization and/or free streaming will only need to email bingeon@t-mobile.com and meet straightforward technical criteria so T-Mobile can identify their video streams reliably. Customers will be able to find a list of non-mobile optimized services online at www.t-mobile.com/bingeon."

    1 0 Reply
  2. Dan 55 Silver badge

    What's wrong with compressing video streams for a mobile?

    Given that bandwith is finite and you're watching on a small screen, you're more interested in the video not stuttering than watching it in all its 1080p glory on a 5" screen while shaking about on the train or bus.

    3 0 Reply
  3. paulf
    WTF?

    Mixed messages from the Chocolate factory

    "T‑Mobile US has signed on Google Play Movie [...] to Binge On"

    But Youtube kicked up stink because they wanted out.

    I'm confused. I know they're different services, addressing slightly different markets (Hollywood stuff Vs Cat vidz) but it did look like Youtube's objection was ideological which implied the objection was shared throughout Mountain View. I would have thought it makes sense for the (paid for) Hollywood stuff to be outside Binge On but the "free" Cat Vidz to be compressed?

    0 0 Reply
    1. jib
      Reply Icon

      Re: Mixed messages from the Chocolate factory

      If you are watching on a 5.5 inch 1440p screen strapped to your face with a GearVR or similar, 480P is going to look like your watching the world with a MindCraft filter on.

      2 0 Reply
    2. Vector
      Reply Icon

      @paulf Re: Mixed messages from the Chocolate factory

      The article fails to mention that Google Play and Youtube have signed on. Now that the opt-out is available, they seem to have buried the hatchet.

      0 0 Reply
  4. hellwig

    DPI? Man in the Middle?

    How does Binge-On work if I'm streaming over HTTPS? The source website would have to be doing the compression, right? How does T-Mobile know that data is a video stream, or does ALL data from these sites come in free? I suppose there's a gigantic white list of domains and servers T-Mobile is having to operate. But if that's the case, why did YouTube have to request an opt-out, couldn't they simply have refused to work with T-Mobile in the first place?

    I'm so confused.

    1 0 Reply
  5. Aedile

    To address Paulf and Hellwig:

    YouTube probably would have jumped all over Binge On but couldn't because most of their data streams are encrypted. This resulted in them not being able to join Binge On and ultimately them complaining due to Binge On throttling. T-Mobile never optimized anything. Essentially what they did was throttle both partner and non-partner connections to 1.5Mbps and hope the provider would notice and reduce the resolution of the video. Should the provider be unable or unwilling to do so all you got was more buffering or stuttering of the video. This is why everyone said T-Mobile was flat out lying about Binge On optimizing anything.

    What upset the non-partners/users is that they were being throttled AND having it count against data caps while Binge On was enabled. What should have been done originally is what they are trying to do now. No throttling but using data for non-partners and throttling and free data for partners.

    2 1 Reply

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