T-Mobile Un-Carrier X unveils Binge On video freedom, Simple Choice Amped, and more

If you’ve been keeping up with T-Mobile’s barrage of punches on the mobile network industry, we have a new act today on that Un-Carrier movement. The big Magenta’s outspoken CEO, John Legere, took center stage to shake things up once again with Un-Carrier X.

So what’s T-Mobile’s latest radical move? The main announcement revolved around Binge On – which is essentially Music Freedom but for video streaming. T-Mobile customers will now be able to stream movies/shows while they’re out and about, with no count against your data plan.

Right now, there are 24 video services available, but any service is open to joining. Here’s the current list:

Since video is a bit more complicated to stream, T-Mobile said it did some work to optimize it over the network. In an effort for efficiency of the stream, the carrier is stating “DVD or better quality” output (DVD quality is 480P). The Magenta team said that the set quality is sufficient for video watching on a mobile device and for now, they’re sticking with it.

A caveat is that you have to be a customer receiving Data Stash, which means having a minimum of a 3GB Simple Choice postpaid plan. Customers with less than that will still get the optimized video stream, but the data will count against you.

Binge On wasn’t the only thing announced today, there were several significant updates to T-Mobile data plans. In a movement called Simple Choice Amped, T-Mobile is doubling the data of all Simple Choice plans across the board. The current option layout is 1GB, 3GB, and 5GB (for $50, $60, and $70/month, respectively) – so those will increase to 2GB, 6GB, and 10GB.

Along with this, T-Mobile expressed how much it hates data sharing on family plans. Therefore, a campaign called Family Match was launched. It amps the previous family promo – four family plan members can now get 6GB each for $120/month (for a limited time).

T-Mobile Unlimited customers weren’t left out either. Their hotspot tethering limit will increase from 7GB to 14GB. And Binge On will be available while tethering for those customers.

The new Simple Choice plans will initiate on Nov. 15th, and will roll over to existing T-Mobile customers on Nov. 19th. If you’re a Sling user, a promo will kick off with Binge On to get 30% off a Sling subscription.

What do you think about T-Mobile’s new features? Is Binge On something you’ll really benefit from? Sound off in the comments below!

Source: T-Mobile

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T-Mobile’s Binge On unlocks unlimited video streaming

Back in June 2014, T-Mobile launched Music Freedom as way for customers to stream music without ever affecting the capped amount of 4G LTE data allotted each month. Today, T-Mobile announced a video steaming version of Music Freedom. Binge On allows T-Mobile customers to stream unlimited video from services like HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Showtime, Sling TV, and Starz. And, just like Music Freedom, none of the data consumed by video streaming touches a customer’s set amount of 4G LTE data.

We get you. You 💖 streaming. So time to #BingeOn: Video streaming, for free. #UncarrierX pic.twitter.com/nOX0TBtBjT

— T-Mobile (@TMobile) November 10, 2015

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

T-Mobile’s Binge On supports Crackle, ESPN, WatchESPN, FOX Sports, FOX Sports Go, HBO Now, HBO Go, Hulu, MLB, Movieplex, NBC Sports, Netflix, Sling TV, Sling Box, Showtime, Starz, Encore, T-Mobile TV, Univision Deportes, Ustream, Vessel, Vevo, and VUDU. More streaming services are the way, too.

The carrier also announced that families on its Simple Choice plan are going to see the amount of 4G LTE data available to them doubled at no extra cost. And, starting this Sunday, T-Mobile has a promotion that gives families a fourth line for free.

T-Mobile Unleashes Mobile Video with Binge On™

Video now streams free at T-Mobile for HBO, Hulu, Netflix, SHOWTIME, Sling TV, STARZ subscribers without using up their high-speed data – 24 total services included initially with more to come

Biggest-ever update to Simple Choice doubles your data at no extra cost when everyone in the family gets extra data

Los Angeles, California — November 10, 2015 — At an event held today in the entertainment capital of the world, T-Mobile [NASDAQ: TMUS] announced its landmark 10^th Un-carrier move and responded directly to Americans’ surging demand for mobile entertainment by—of all things—unleashing mobile video. Beginning this Sunday, video streams free at T-Mobile for subscribers of HBO, Hulu, Netflix, SHOWTIME, Sling TV, STARZ, WatchESPN and more—with more streaming services on the way—without ever burning up customers’ high-speed data. And it’s available to all current and new Simple Choice customers on qualifying plans—at absolutely no extra cost.
 
On top of that, the Un-carrier today also amped up its flagship Simple Choice plan—in the biggest update to Simple Choice ever—by doubling the data at every level and cutting the cost of extra gigs. On top of that, families can now get twice as much high-speed data as before—at no extra cost— when everyone gets extra 4G LTE data. And that’s all on the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network, now reaching 302 million Americans and counting.
 
Taken together, today’s moves give Un-carrier customers far more data that lasts far longer – prompting T-Mobile President and CEO, John Legere to declare today “Data Day” – the day the company took its Un-carrier movement to the next level.
 
“Un-carrier X marks the next step in this revolution, and it is massive,” said John Legere, President and CEO of T-Mobile. “Today, we’re not only doubling your data in Simple Choice, we’re making your data work a lot harder for you! With Binge On, video streams free from 24 streaming services to start, and more to come! Only T-Mobile would find a way for customers to watch unlimited HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV and more…without eating into their LTE data, while the Duopoly is squeezing consumers with overage fees and over-buying! T-Mobile is un-leashing entertainment and giving customers exactly what they want!” 
 
Binge On − Watch your shows, not your data
With Binge On, video now streams free for viewers and subscribers of Crackle, Encore, ESPN, Fox Sports, Fox Sports Go, HBO Now, HBO Go, Hulu, MLB, Movieplex, NBC Sports, Netflix, Sling TV, Sling Box, SHOWTIME, STARZ, T-Mobile TV, Univision Deportes, Ustream, Vessel, Vevo, VUDU—with more streaming services on the way—without ever touching their 4G LTE data on Simple Choice plans with extra data. T-Mobile is also including Verizon’s Go90 and AT&T’s DirecTV streaming services in Binge On, so even the Duopoly’s video services stream without fear of overages.
 
Binge On is open to any streaming video provider who meets the technical requirements, which are available online at http://www.t-mobile.com/bingeon. And it’s completely free for video streaming providers to join. 
 
“With Binge On, no one pays—not the customers, not the video streaming services—and everyone wins,” said Legere.
 
Powered by new technology built in to T-Mobile’s network, Binge On optimizes video for mobile screens, minimizing data consumption while still delivering DVD or better quality (e.g. 480p or better). That means more reliable streaming for services that stream free with Binge On, and for almost all other video, it means T-Mobile Simple Choice customers can watch up to three times more video from their data plan. And, as always, T-Mobile has put customers in total control with a switch to activate or deactivate Binge On for each line in their My T-Mobile account.  Binge On is all about customer choice. 
 
In addition, T-Mobile is celebrating the launch of Binge On with an exclusive offer of 30% off a full year’s subscription to Sling TV’s “Best of Live TV” package available to all Simple Choice customers. And those T-Mobile customers with Unlimited smartphone LTE get a free streaming movie rental every single month in 2016 with Binge On.
 
With mobile video now the #1 way Americans use smartphone data, Binge On is the Un-carrier’s answer to what today’s customers clearly want most from wireless. Customers are using nearly two-and-a-half times more of their wireless data for mobile video in the last two years. But that’s nothing compared to where we’re headed. According to forecasts, mobile video usage is poised to surge more than 400% by 2020.
 
The old carriers are trying to exploit this trend − and their customers − to line their pockets. For carrier customers, the surge in wireless video has translated directly into an unprecedented surge in overages. Together, the carriers are projected to rake in a record $2.4 billion this year from overage penalties—up a staggering 60% from $1.5 billion just last year. Roughly one quarter of AT&T and Verizon customers say they’ve been hit by overages in the last 6 months – that’s twice as many Verizon customers getting billed for overages compared to just two years ago. Worse still, the carriers’ overages scare customers into buying more data each month than they need—only so Verizon and ATT can repossess it after 30 or 60 days. American wireless customers waste an estimated $45 billion annually overbuying wireless data they don’t use. 
 
With T-Mobile, on the other hand, Binge On now unleashes customers to watch what they want, when they want and on any device they want—without watching their data.
 
Simple Choice − Now with double the data
With this explosion in data usage, a few gigs is just not enough anymore. So, in the biggest update ever to the company’s wildly popular Simple Choice plan, T-Mobile is giving families and businesses what they want most by doubling their high-speed 4G LTE data when everyone gets extra data. 
 
Simple Choice customers still start with one line at just $50 a month for unlimited data, talk and text on T-Mobile’s nationwide 4G LTE network. But you’ll now get a full 2GB of 4G LTE data—twice the previous amount—on each line. As before, customers can still add a second line for $30 a month−but now with 2GB of 4G LTE data. Additional lines up to 12 are still only $10 per month—but each now come with 2GB of 4G LTE data.

Of course, Simple Choice customers can add even more 4G LTE data. And now, when everyone in the family gets extra 4G LTE data, families can save even more with T-Mobile’s new Family Match. Everyone will get twice as much data as before at absolutely no extra cost. They can add an extra 4GB of 4G LTE data (on top of the 2GB included), including mobile hotspot data, for just $10 more a month on each line, up to a total of 10GB per line. For families who’d rather customize their data by line, extra data is just $15 a month for each 4GB—compared to $20 a month for 4GB before—a savings of 25% per GB of high-speed data vs. before.

While the Duopoly continues to punish customers on their legacy unlimited LTE plans, the Un-carrier announced it is doubling down on Unlimited Smartphone LTE data by doubling the amount of tethered data included from 7GB to 14GB. And with Binge On, streaming video from participating services won’t eat into that tethered data.

For businesses, the pain is even worse. Nearly two-thirds of small businesses (63%) say they’re now being charged overages, and more than half (52%) of small business limit their employees’ smartphone usage to prevent overages. With the Duopoly, giving employees a smartphone is like creating an open-ended tab where employees can run up insane overages the company has no choice but to pay. With the new Simple Choice plan unveiled today, businesses get double the LTE data at no extra cost at T-Mobile, up to a thousand employees. An average small business with T-Mobile can save 40% compared to AT&T and a full 50% compared to Verizon for similar services.
 
And, as always, Simple Choice customers have no annual service contracts, no domestic overages and no sharing, and they get all the Un-carrier value the company keeps pouring into the plan – from Simple Global, Music Freedom and Data Stash to Mobile Without Borders, Wi-Fi Un-leashed and Binge On. 
 
To celebrate today’s news, T-Mobile is making the fourth line free. Now, for a limited time, a family of four can get four lines for $120 with 6GB per person (24GB total) – no sharing – at just $30 per line. That’s an incredible four times the high-speed data you get at Verizon who’ll charge you $20 more, and almost five times the data at AT&T where you’ll pay $30 more—$150 for just 5GB your whole family’s gotta share. And now with Binge On, T-Mobile customers don’t just get 6GB each, they get unlimited video streaming from popular sites as well.
 
Binge On and the new Simple Choice plan will be available starting Sunday, November 15. Existing T-Mobile customers will get Binge On starting Thursday, November 19. For more information on Binge On, see http://www.t-mobile.com/bingeon. For more information on Simple Choice, see http://www.t-mobile.com/SimpleChoiceplan or for Simple Choice for business, see:
www.t-mobile.com/BusinessSimpleChoicePlan.
 
Video streams at DVD quality (480p+) with Binge On. You may disable Binge On at any time, but will lose Binge On benefits. Limited time offers on qualifying plans. Taxes/fees add’l. Video streaming from included services does not count toward full-speed data allotment on our network. Third party content and subscription charges may apply. Once high-speed data allotment is reached, all usage slowed to up to 2G speeds until end of bill cycle. Up to 30% off selected subscription; may appear as bill credit or 3^rd party discount. Free movie: one SD rental/mo. on selected service via 30-day promo code; must be in good standing on qualifying Unlimited LTE plan. Streaming services’ terms and conditions apply. See T-Mobile.com for details.
 
About T-Mobile US, Inc.
As America’s Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company’s advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to approximately 61 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

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Watch T-Mobile’s ‘Uncarrier X’ live stream here!

T-Mobile is holding another “Uncarrier” event this afternoon to announce, well, nobody quite knows for sure. Set to start at 2PM EST, the tagline for the invitation reads “we never hit pause,” which kickstarted the rumor mill. A majority of speculators are saying that the wireless carrier will announce its customers will be allowed to use streaming sites like Netflix, HBO Go and Hulu without it counting towards their data cap. The wireless carrier already offers unfettered streaming of music sites like Spotify and Pandora, so the concept isn’t entirely foreign. If these rumors are true, this could be an industry game-changer — and get net neutrality advocates in a huff because of how unequally it treats data. Video streaming does use up a huge amount of cellular data, though, so this could definitely come in handy if you’re looking to watch a TV episode during your lunch break at work. The only way to know for sure, of course, is to tune in.

Source: T-Mobile Blog

Sprint faces ‘thousands’ of job cuts and price hikes

SoftBank, Sprint’s Japanese parent company, made a ton of profit over the last three months, but not as much profit as people were expecting. That’s largely due to it having to carry Sprint on its back, since the network has gone from plucky bronze medalist to sitting in the doldrums of fourth place in America’s hotly-contested carrier wars. In order to try and reduce the amount of red printer ink that Marcelo Claure (pictured, right) has to buy, SoftBank has ordered a “sustainable run rate reduction” of more than $2 billion. In order words, the company is about to have to learn how to do a lot more with a heck of a lot less cash.

Via: WSJ

Source: SoftBank (.PDF)