T-Mobile's Binge On feature is once again facing claims it violates net neutrality rules.
This time, the accusation comes from a paper drafted by a Stanford University professor. One of the key arguments the paper presents is that Binge On harms competition by favoring T-Mobile's partners over other companies. (Video via T-Mobile)
With Binge On, T-Mobile lets users stream videos from certain services without eating into data plans. (Video via T-Mobile)
The paper claims that since T-Mobile partnered with services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, other smaller video providers are at a disadvantage.
In early January, another group, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, also said the carrier was violating net neutrality principles. The group cited T-Mobile's data-throttling practices, saying it intentionally caps speeds for Binge On users.
This led to T-Mobile CEO John Legere putting out a video arguing that Binge On isn't a net neutrality violation since any company can sign up for it.
"Anyone can join and have their content streamed free if they have the technical capability," Legere said.
However, the Stanford paper argues that Binge On's "substantial" technical requirements are a significant barrier to entry for some companies.
In December, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said the agency was looking into Binge On and similar services from other companies, but the group hasn't announced if any action is warranted.
Full disclosure: Newsy's content is available through T-Mobile's Binge On service.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
