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EFF Accuses T-Mobile of Violating Net Neutrality With Throttled Video (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader writes: T-Mobile's new "unlimited" data plan that throttles video has upset the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which accuses the company of violating net neutrality principles. The new $70-per-month unlimited data plan "limits video to about 480p resolution and requires customers to pay an extra $25 per month for high-definition video," reports Ars Technica. "Going forward, this will be the only plan offered to new T-Mobile customers, though existing subscribers can keep their current prices and data allotments." EFF Senior Staff Technologist Jeremy Gillula told the Daily Dot, "From what we've read thus far it seems like T-Mobile's new plan to charge its customers extra to not throttle video runs directly afoul of the principle of net neutrality." The FCC's net neutrality rules ban throttling, though Ars notes "there's a difference between violating 'the principle of net neutrality' and violating the FCC's specific rules, which have exceptions to the throttling ban and allow for case-by-case judgements." "Because our no-throttling rule addresses instances in which a broadband provider targets particular content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices, it does not address a practice of slowing down an end user's connection to the internet based on a choice made by the end user," says the FCC's Open Internet Order (PDF). "For instance, a broadband provider may offer a data plan in which a subscriber receives a set amount of data at one speed tier and any remaining data at a lower tier." The EFF is still determining whether or not to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.
There's no such thing as unlimited. The EFF should instead say that companies can't market data as unlimited, and tell people what they're actually getting.
You can turn it off and spend be charged and the regular rate, or watch it low bandwidth for free.
Why do you need to post on Slashdot? ...Well, I was going to say that you're wasting time that could be put to more legitimate uses, but if your post is any indication, this is probably about the best you could be doing.
I guess you don't live in a place where people ride buses and trains???
Because my mobile hotspot provides my WiFi and mobile internet is my only internet. That's why.
Willfully watch 480p to save bandwidth because they don't want to waste on 1080p?
How many people would if they knew it was an option so they could save money?
I just can't believe people want 1080p YouTube videos on their phones.
How are they detecting "video streams" in order to throttle it?
Based on host (e.g. known domain names for video hosts)?
Based on protocol (e.g. blocking known streaming protocols)?
Deep packet inspection?
If they are detecting based on host, that's a net neutrality violation since they are discriminating between "video hosts they know about and throttle" and "video hosts they dont know about and don't throttle". If they are attempting to detect based on protocols or port numbers, it wont work for things that use standard HTTP as the underlying protocol or that use port numbers other than the ones they are expecting. And if they are trying some form of packet inspection, good luck doing that on an encrypted HTTPS YouTube stream.
Also I wonder how they are enforcing the 480p restriction. Are they re-encoding the videos? Blocking streams higher than 480p? Something else? (and again, good luck doing that on an encrypted HTTPS YouTube stream)
More to the point, you could probably easily get around whatever they are doing with a VPN and I bet you could find a suitable VPN provider for less than the $25 T-Mobile wants for unlocking high definition video...
When they started this throttling thing, only a small number of video sources were "free" and I complained that this was a blatant violation of net neutrality.
But now they appear to be throttling all video across the board so all content is degraded equally. It's hard to argue that this isn't neutral.
" It's hard to argue that this isn't neutral."
It's only neutral if you consider the subset of "video services they detect" that TMobile chose. It's to slow some packets coming to you as bandwidth limited, even though you are paying for that service, not some selected subset of those packets.
They're throttling some services vs other services, you could make your selective argument about any subset they choose to select.
e.g. They throttle news papers based in New York.... well at least they're treating all newspapers in New York equally..... its hard to argue that this isn't neutral and in no way targets the New York Times.
e.g. They throttle all video from social media sites equallty, its hard to argue that this isn't neutral, and in no way designed to cap Facebooks video replay.
Net neutrality doesn't mean all data is treated equally, just that all servers are treated equally. It may be splitting hairs to say video-streaming data is different to other data protocols but I don't have a problem with that. Of course, T-mobile runs into the problem of being unable to identify a video-streaming protocol, thus mistakenly giving it preferential treatment.
How is this "throttling"? All T-Mobile is pointing out is that bandwidth is a limited resource. If you want more of it, you need to pay for it. How is that any different than the days when we moved from 56K dial up to broadband?
"We receive as friendly that which agrees with, we resist with dislike that which opposes us" - Faraday
Now this is honest -- unlimited but with video throttling, more for no video throttling. You accept a known agreement which also recognizes the reality.
Compare vs. sneakily extorting some of what you pay Netflix or they will crapify your Netflix, contrary to their agreement.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Why do I need unlimited 1080p when my phone screen is just 480 pixels. Unlike the local monopolies held by cable companies, with mobile phone you have a lot of choices so what are they complaining about?
Netflix charges for hd too though it is only a dollar. how is it different from what tmobile is doing?