EFF accuses T-Mobile of violating network neutrality with throttled video

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) accused T-Mobile USA of violating network neutrality principles with a new "unlimited" data plan that throttles video.

The group is weighing whether to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, and EFF is evaluating a similar offering from Sprint. T-Mobile's $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. 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. "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," said EFF Senior Staff Technologist Jeremy Gillula. The FCC's net neutrality rules include a ban on throttling. But 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 judgments.