WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- YouTube is criticizing a new T-Mobile service allowing unlimited data use for video but degrades the quality of playback for all its customers.
T-Mobile added the new Binge On service in November to allow customers to watch videos from 24 providers without it affecting their data fees. The wireless company degraded the resolution to 420p, a very low quality level for streaming video but one T-Mobile believes its customers will opt for so long as it doesn't affect their data.
But a YouTube spokesman says T-Mobile is degrading the quality of all video to its customers regardless of network congestion -- even services like YouTube that aren't included in the Binge On service.
T-Mobile has declined to address YouTube's complaints, except to say it is a technical problem. The company said during the Binge On launch they hoped to include YouTube and related services so long as they met unspecified technical requirements.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said his agency has sent letters to T-Mobile, AT&T and Comcast seeking information on the new services they offer to ensure they don't violate net neutrality rules. Wheeler has previously praised the Binge On service as "highly innovative and highly competitive."
The Internet Association, which includes companies like Google, Netflix and Facebook, issued a statement today criticizing T-Mobile's Binge On service and praising the FCC for looking into it.
"T-Mobile's new 'streaming optimization' program appears to involve throttling of all video traffic, across all data plans, regardless of network congestion," the association said in the statement.
