Buzz
T-Mobile’s latest strategy to bypass data limits with Binge On may have an unfortunate catch. YouTube claims that the carrier is reducing all video streams to 480p, even for services not part of Binge On, and still counting them against your data cap.
For those unfamiliar, here's how Binge On works: T-Mobile allows any video service that meets specific 'technical requirements' to join Binge On. Once included, T-Mobile customers can stream unlimited video from that service without it counting towards their data usage.
The compromise is that T-Mobile limits all video streamed through Binge On to 480p. This feature is optional, so if you’re not okay with the lower quality, you can simply disable it. Choose between unlimited low-quality streaming or limited high-quality content. It's not the worst dilemma.
The issue, as YouTube explains, is that T-Mobile is also throttling video services that aren’t part of Binge On. This means T-Mobile customers who watch YouTube are limited to 480p quality, and their video consumption still counts toward their data cap—unless they turn off all unlimited video streaming. YouTube, despite not being included in the unlimited streaming offer, still suffers from this quality restriction.
If you're watching YouTube on T-Mobile and have noticed a drop in video quality recently, here's how you can fix it:
Log in to your T-Mobile account on the web.
Click on Profile in the top-right corner.
In the panel on the right, select Media Settings.
Turn off the 'Binge On' toggle.
Keep in mind that this will increase your data usage for streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and most other video platforms, excluding YouTube. However, if you want temporarily improved quality, you can toggle this feature on and off whenever you like.
