T-Mobile to offer free streaming

T-Mobile to offer free streaming

BingeOn feature will allow users to stream Netflix, Hulu, with no impact on data limit.

T-Mobile is launching a new program, called BingeOn, which will allow its customers to stream video from sites like Netflix without having to pay for it.

USA Today reports that, although the videos will be free, they will only be displayed in 480p resolution, considerably lower than the streams most users are accustomed to. The program was announced during a T-Mobile “UncarrierX” event, Tuesday. During the announcement, the cell phone carrier announced that it would no longer count streaming video against a user’s data plan.

Currently T-Mobile’s rates start at $50 a month for service and 1 GB of data. As of Sunday the basic plan will increase to 2 GB of data for $50 a month. Most users spend their data watching video apps like Hulu and Netflix. All other cell phone carriers count these applications against a customer’s data plan, making T-Mobile’s the first of its kind.

More and more people are viewing videos on their mobile devices. Facebook and Snapchat boast over 6 billion video views a day, individually. T-Mobile CEO John Legere said during the presentation that 57 percent of millennials watch videos on their mobile devices.

The BingeOn program works with 24 content providers, such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and WatchESPN, allowing viewers to watch for free. YouTube, however, is not covered under the program.

The resolution of the videos will be considerably lower than that of videos most are used to, which stream in 720p or 1080p. The free content through BingeOn will only be displayed in 480p. Legere referred to it as “DVD quality,” during the presentation.

Aaron Paul, of Breaking Bad fame has been hired by T-Mobile to help promote the new feature, in upcoming TV ads.

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