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FCC Boss: New T-Mobile Zero Rating Plan 'Pro Competition'

As we noted last week, T-Mobile introduced a new zero rating program that exempts some video services from the company's usage caps. Called "Binge On," the service optimizes the traffic of any participating video service, delivering cap-exempt, "optimized" versions of those services at 480p resolution. T-Mobile pretty cleverly skirted net neutrality criticism in two ways: it let any company participate, and let consumers turn the service on and off at will.


And if people were wondering whether or not the FCC approves of T-Mobile's latest plan, you won't have to wonder any longer.

Speaking this week at a press conference after the agency's November meeting, Wheeler proclaimed that he thought T-Mobile's latest effort was pro-competition and pro innovation. Though he then hedged that support that noting the agency would be keeping a close eye on the service:

quote:
"It is clear in the Open Internet order that we are pro-competition and pro-innovation and clearly, this meets both of those criteria," he said. "It is highly innovative and highly competitive." He then said that it appeared the plan does not violate the bright-line no paid prioritization rule, but took something off the endorsement.

He said the FCC would keep an eye on Binge On per the general conduct standard in those new open Internet rules, which allows the FCC to look at such business models on a case-by-case basis.

That rule, he elaborated, says a carrier "should not unreasonably interfere with the access to someone who is trying to get to an edge provider and an edge provider who is trying to get to a consumer. So, what we are going to be doing is watching Binge On, keeping and eye on it, and measure it against the general conduct rule."


The problem of course remains one of precedent. The FCC's refusal to ban zero rating opens the door to other players, many of which won't be quite as consumer oriented as T-Mobile, regulated by FCC bosses down the road potentially less consumer friendly than Tom Wheeler. That's why Chile, Norway, Netherlands, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Japan have banned the practice of zero rating entirely, since neutrality critics argue the very practice of zero rating immediately puts non whitelisted services at a distinct disadvantage.

"The Commission staff is working to make sure it understands the new offering," the FCC told DSLReports.com in an e-mail regarding T-Mobile's Binge On program.

Most recommended from 33 comments


thxultra
join:2015-04-14
Aurora, IL

6 recommendations

thxultra

Member

This is a great idea

First off users can opt in or opt out. I honestly don't see the need to stream 1080p to my phone. 480 looks great on such a small screen as long as the refresh rate is high. If it is a crappy refresh rate then it will look blurry and I would opt out. This seems like a win for all. Keeps network congestion down for t-mobile and allows users to stream. Also T-mobile has it open to all services so they are being fair to content providers. I would have had issue if they only choose certain providers but keeping it open and allowing customers to opt out this seems like a great innovation.