"T-Mobile's Binge On streaming video service violates Net neutrality rules, according to a report authored by Barbara van Schewick, director of The Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School.
The Binge On service, says the report, is problematic for the following reasons:
- It doesn't offer unlimited video streaming, raising transparency concerns;
- It gives participants a competitive advantage;
- It harms competition and stifles free expression;
- It is discriminatory due to its substantial technical requirements;
- It favors video streaming over other Internet uses; and
- It creates a slippery slope.
The report points to three alternatives that would not endanger Net neutrality: a zero-rated low-bandwidth mode, truly unlimited video, and more data for everyone.
At the Heart of the Controversy
The Stanford report represents the latest argument in the already-heated debate over whether Binge On does indeed infringe Net neutrality."