[186902] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: Binge On! - get your umbrellas out, stuff's hitting the fan.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mike Hammett)
Fri Jan 8 23:25:51 2016
X-Original-To: nanog@nanog.org
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2016 22:25:45 -0600 (CST)
From: Mike Hammett <nanog@ics-il.net>
Cc: North American Network Operators' Group <nanog@nanog.org>
In-Reply-To: <CAPKkNb5n0r=8wTpV7-5ND814CkejguV5cjQ1P=G796S2bPwTMQ@mail.gmail.com>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces@nanog.org
I'm not certain that most consumers notice or care. How many people can not=
ice 480p vs. 720p vs. 1080p on a 4" display? Now how many will notice the b=
uffering or larger bills?=20
-----=20
Mike Hammett=20
Intelligent Computing Solutions=20
http://www.ics-il.com=20
Midwest Internet Exchange=20
http://www.midwest-ix.com=20
----- Original Message -----
From: "Constantine A. Murenin" <mureninc@gmail.com>=20
To: "Valdis Kletnieks" <Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu>=20
Cc: "North American Network Operators' Group" <nanog@nanog.org>=20
Sent: Friday, January 8, 2016 10:07:06 PM=20
Subject: Re: Binge On! - get your umbrellas out, stuff's hitting the fan.=
=20
On 7 January 2016 at 19:43, Valdis Kletnieks <Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu> wrot=
e:=20
> So we went round and round back in November regarding Binge On! and wheth=
er=20
> it was net neutrality. So here's some closure to that...=20
>=20
> The EFF did some testing and discovered that what T-Mobile is actually do=
ing=20
> doesn't match what they said it was...=20
>=20
> https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/01/eff-confirms-t-mobiles-bingeon-opti=
mization-just-throttling-applies=20
>=20
> Apparently, John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, doesn't know who the EFF is,=20
> or why they're giving him a hard time.=20
>=20
> "Part B of my answer is, who the fuck are you, anyway, EFF?" Legere said.=
"Why=20
> are you stirring up so much trouble, and who pays you?"=20
>=20
> http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/7/10733298/john-legere-binge-on-lie=20
>=20
> /me makes popcorn....=20
I don't know what people have been smoking, but I'd like to set the=20
record straight, once and for all.=20
T-Mobile US said that ALL video will be affected from day 0!=20
Here's my comment on=20
https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/3sbbm5/netflix_hbo_gonow_sling_tv=
_showtime_hulu_espn_and/cwx16ya=20
2015-11-11: =C2=ABDidn't T-Mobile say that all videos will automatically go=
=20
at 480p from that point on? If so, what's really the point of an extra=20
step, you know, of the service explicitly "applying" to participate?=C2=BB=
=20
I've taken the time to find the source material that must have made me=20
make such a comment, and, I FOUND IT!=20
https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/media-kits/un-carrier-x.htm=20
> Los Angeles, California =E2=80=94 November 10, 2015=20
...=20
> Powered by new technology built in to T-Mobile=E2=80=99s network, Binge O=
n optimizes video for mobile screens, minimizing data consumption while sti=
ll delivering DVD or better quality (e.g. 480p or better). That means more =
reliable streaming for services that stream free with Binge On, and for alm=
ost all other video, it means T-Mobile Simple Choice customers can watch up=
to three times more video from their data plan. And, as always, T-Mobile h=
as put customers in total control with a switch to activate or deactivate B=
inge On for each line in their My T-Mobile account. Binge On is all about c=
ustomer choice.=20
Here it is again, the relevant bits:=20
> for almost all other video, it means T-Mobile Simple Choice customers can=
watch up to three times more video from their data plan=20
Those words have certainly been there since at least 2015-11-11!=20
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT!=20
Just like the rest of the increases in ARPU and other metrics.=20
Unlimited 4G didn't just have the tethering bucket increased from 7GB=20
to 14GB, but the price went from 80$ to 95$, too. (And that doesn't=20
include the earlier increase from 70$ to 80$, either.)=20
Oh, and, to answer EFF's question on why it's enabled by default:=20
https://youtu.be/MHFUT1_QlB8?t=3D47s=20
>>>> Since it's launched in November, we've learned customers were watching=
12% more video.=20
It is not explicit that "12%" refers to a minute-based metric, but=20
that's most certainly what was meant.=20
Now, compare this with the 66,6% savings by throttling all video to=20
1.5Mbps, so that "customers can watch up to three times more video",=20
and the net effects of unlimited binge on become quite clear (and=20
quite counter-intuitive to a naive guess on the matter).=20
That said, I have to say I'm disappointed with him going against his=20
own consumers this time around. The only truth from his=20
https://youtu.be/MHFUT1_QlB8 video is that, indeed, if the Dumb and=20
Dumber would have implemented this functionality first, the carriers=20
indeed would have found a way to charge extra for it!=20
Cheers,=20
Constantine.SU.=20
