T-Mobile CEO Attacks the EFF, Earns the Internet's Disdain T-Mobile spent much of yesterday in damage control mode over the company's "Binge On" zero rating plan, which exempts select video content from usage caps, but by default throttles all video (streamed or direct downloaded). The program has fallen under fire in recent weeks from the likes of the EFF and YouTube for the bad precedent set by a wireless carrier injecting itself between users and content service providers.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere spent much of the day fielding questions about the program on Twitter, until he was asked by the EFF whether Binge On alters the video stream in any way, or if T-Mobile's just throttling data (an EFF report suggests the latter). After failing to answer the question, Legere goes on a bit of a tirade against what's arguably one of the most respected digital and consumer rights advocacy groups in tech, asking "who the fuck are you anyway EFF? Why are you stirring up so much trouble and who pays you?" »twitter.com/JohnLegere/s ··· 7531264

Legere's tirade saw an immediate and loud response from countless Twitter users who informed the apparently out-of-touch CEO that they pay the EFF: »twitter.com/cpqNetworks/ ··· 0282497

It has been interesting to watch the tide of public opinion shift from thinking T-Mobile's zero rating efforts were harmless and even innovative (just a month ago) to the realization that yes, it does set a bad precedent for the open Internet to have a carrier screwing around with user packets by default. Open the door to this behavior, net neutrality critics warn, and you've opened the door to a myriad of bad ideas where wireless carriers play the role of meddling middle men. While there's little doubt T-Mobile's done some great things for wireless over the last few years, the character that is John Legere may just be getting a little bit tired (just a reminder that While there's little doubt T-Mobile's done some great things for wireless over the last few years, the character that is John Legere may just be getting a little bit tired (just a reminder that this is what he used to look like as CEO of Global Crossing). Legere's attack on the EFF may just be the moment the faux-punk-rock CEO finally jumped the shark.







News Jump Are The Comcast-Charter X1 Talks Dead In The Water?; AT&T May Offer Phone Plans With Ads For Discounts; + more news Europe's Top Court: Net Neutrality Rules Bar Zero Rating; ViacomCBS To Rebrand CBS All Access As Paramount+; + more news Verizon To Buy Reseller TracFone For $7B; 5G Not The Competitive Threat To Cable Many Thought It Would Be; + more news MS.Wants Records From AT&T On $300M Project; Google Fiber Outages In Austin, Houston, Other Texan Cities; + more news States With The Biggest Decreases In Speed; AT&T Hopes You'll Forget Its Fight Against Accurate Maps; + more news AT&T's CEO Has A Familiar $olution To US Broadband Woes; EarthLink Files Suit Against Charter; + more news 5G Doesn't Live Up To Hype, AT&T's 5G Slower Than Its 4G; Cord-Cutting Now In 37% of Broadband Households; + more news FCC Cited False Broadband Data Despite Warnings; ZTE, Huawei Replacement Cost Is $1.87B, But Only $1B Allocated; + more Cogeco Rejects Altice USA's Atlantic Broadband Bid; AT&T Is Astroturfing The FCC In Support Of Trump Attack; + more news Big CBRS Auction Winners: Verizon, Windstream, Dish, Cablecos; Altice USA makes play for Atlantic Broadband; + more news ---------------------- this week last week most discussed

Most recommended from 174 comments



buzz_4_20

join:2003-09-20

Biddeford, ME 18 recommendations buzz_4_20 Member I find it hard to believe That the CEO of a Major Wireless carrier doesn't know who the EFF is. sandman_1

join:2011-04-23

11111 13 recommendations sandman_1 Member Opt in If they would of made it Opt-in instead of Opt-out, they wouldn't be in this debacle in the first place. They could of made into one of their apps, for easy access to a "on and off" switch or something. But anyway, I think it was a big mistake to attack the EFF. Such a bad move...

battleop

join:2005-09-28

00000 11 recommendations battleop Member John Legere.. Has to be the most immature CEO in all of telecom. If he doesn't get his way he acts like spoiled rich kid and throws little temper tantrums. neufuse

join:2006-12-06

James Creek, PA 949.2 41.1

9 recommendations neufuse Member Optimized video I always loved how he called video throttling "optimizing" what he's doing is forcing worse quality service for a 3rd party company because they didn't pay him or they don't like them or what ever else they might use as a secrete excuse... so now you make Netflix or youtube or anyone else have worse video quality which then reflects on their product even though they aren't the one doing it the average user will blame youtube, Netflix, etc not knowing better.... to me this is an anticompetitive behavior because you are controlling someone else's product depending on how you feel about them....

Flyonthewall

@teksavvy.com 6 recommendations Flyonthewall Anon By default All ISPs are trying to inject themselves in between you and any content, the better to serve you with ads. They are telling you, without any real choice on your part, that you will be forced to download/view such content. With free apps I'm sure most wouldn't care so much, that's the cost of getting a 'free' app. But when you are using basic function and still getting those, it can get tedious, like the extra ads overlaid on top of programming on the TV, between the regular commercials.



They do it to generate xtra revenue, that is the only goal. I'm sure T's Binge ON, while giving free usage of the video stream is pro consumer, is only happening because they are getting paid up front for that. If no money exchanged hands, then you wouldn't be getting that. Of course with wireless being pretty much unregulated, what you pay for access isn't even giving you the amount of data access you actually pay for anyway. The orders of magnitude for data people pay for wireless data are really out of control lately, and it's pretty much demanding executive oversight.



But it's private business, no one forces you to use it, so the best way to voice concerns is to NOT use it. Turn off the data, and when revenue shrinks as a result watch how they scramble to entice you back to using it. The voice services they provide are also over priced, considering it's basically radio from tower to phone, and fiber the rest of the way. It's that fiber that really makes the data cheap, and is what makes wireless data so much of a cash cow for those in the industry.



Back away from the cookie jar, that's the real power you have to control prices.

howsthis999

@charter.com 6 recommendations howsthis999 Anon Denies realities All you Legere defenders need to get this if Binge On had been Opt IN and non Binge On video had not been optimized this would be a non issue for most people basically. I don't get why T-Mobile simply doesn't do these two 2 things and the controversy basically goes away. And yes yes switch turn it off only takes 20 seconds blah blah. That's not the point.



He denies reality. All this faux unlimited data proves mobile can't handle unlimited data. Even if Comcast's cap weren't BS there cap it's still 300 GB and doesn't "optimize" video and face it T-Mobile can NOT handle a majority of their customers using even 300 GB a month. Maybe in 5 years, but not now.

anon2016

@comcast.net 4 recommendations anon2016 Anon figures When they have to come down to our level and argue with us little people they must be really desperate to take our money as much as possible. Wouldn't be surprised to see this company having major trouble later on in the year. jdofaz

join:2013-04-15

Phoenix, AZ 2 recommendations jdofaz Member Binge off I'm a tmobile customer that turned this feature off. I'm seeing buffering problems in pandora during prime time so maybe they bit off more than they can chew.