• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

3

Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

3

Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s Binge On Streams 480p Video. Does It Matter?

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 11, 2015, 12:55 PM ET

On Tuesday, T-Mobile CEO John Legere announced his customers would no longer have to worry about how much data streaming video uses.

The new program, called Binge On, allows T-Mobile (TMUS) customers to binge watch videos from 24 different service providers without any of it eating into your data plan. Go ahead, watch the entire season of Narcos on Netflix (NFLX) on your smartphone while sitting in the middle of a park. In addition to Netflix, Hulu, HBO GO, HBO Now, ESPN, and Sling TV are participating. (You can view a complete list here.)

New customers can sign up for Binge On starting Nov. 15. Existing customers are scheduled to receive it starting Nov. 19.

Unlimited streaming video on a mobile connection seems like a deal that’s too good to be true. So, what’s the catch? There’s always a catch.

MORE: T-Mobile Leaves NYSE Switches to Nasdaq, for ‘fun’

During the announcement, Legere explained the company has developed proprietary software to optimize the video stream which reduces the amount of data used, while providing “DVD-quality” streams.

According to the fine print, T-Mobile’s Binge On program will stream videos at 480p. This seemingly small detail could wind up being a big deal to its customers.

Most modern smartphones are equipped with high-definition screens, capable of displaying 720p or 1080p high-definition video. Legere assured those in attendance the streaming quality wouldn’t be an issue, reiterating that 480p video looks just fine on a smartphone’s screen.

To put Legere’s claim to the test, I opened the YouTube app on my iPhone 6S and set the stream quality to 480p. I watched video after video, and you know what? The quality wasn’t all that bad. Of course it wasn’t nearly as clear as high-definition video, but at the end of the day every single video was completely watchable.

I watched a highlight reel of NBA superstar Stephen Curry scoring 53 points in a game. The video’s lower quality was most evident when players were running down the court, or whenever there was a lot of quick movement. Outside of those minor gripes, the video looked okay. Not great, but okay.

Another video I watched was from technology reviewer Marques Brownlee, who also happens to shoot his videos in 4K. While I couldn’t watch the 4K version on my iPhone, his review of the Nexus 5X downgraded to 480p looked just fine. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything, and in fact, I barely noticed a difference when I rewatched the same video in high-definition (720p).

Without a question I would pick streaming low-resolution video over having to constantly monitor my data usage on AT&T.

It’s entirely possible T-Mobile’s method for downgrading the video could worsen the overall quality, but unless the video comes across as a pixelated mess, I think most users aren’t going to care about—or even notice—the lower video quality.

For those who refuse to watch a movie in 480p, T-Mobile will allow you to disable Binge On through its website. However, doing so also means streaming video will count against your data plan.

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

 

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Dan Helfrich, Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Soccer Federation
ConferencesCOO Summit
U.S. Soccer is using AI to scout 70 million teenagers. The former consulting CEO running the federation calls it a ‘paradigm shift’ for the sport
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
32 minutes ago
The Best Iodine Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
The Best Iodine Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
By Emily PharesJune 2, 2026
53 minutes ago
petersson
ConferencesCOO Summit
Anthropic’s office launched an AI-run vending machine. It evolved into AI-run stores and cafes within a year
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
53 minutes ago
‘This administration cooked up a sham deal’: New York sues Trump administration for refunding foreign company $1 billion to end offshore wind project
EnvironmentNew York
‘This administration cooked up a sham deal’: New York sues Trump administration for refunding foreign company $1 billion to end offshore wind project
By The Associated Press and Jennifer McDermottJune 2, 2026
2 hours ago
New jobs report shows 7.6 million job openings added in April as layoffs and people quitting their jobs both fell
EconomyU.S. jobs report
New jobs report shows 7.6 million job openings added in April as layoffs and people quitting their jobs both fell
By The Associated Press and Paul WisemanJune 2, 2026
2 hours ago
‘We will fly again’: Blue Origin says rocket explosion spared vital launch pad parts
InnovationBlue Origin
‘We will fly again’: Blue Origin says rocket explosion spared vital launch pad parts
By The Associated Press and Marcia DunnJune 2, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
23 hours ago
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
Energy
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
After issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds, the Trump administration is now pursuing legal action to bring the process to a standstill
Law
After issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds, the Trump administration is now pursuing legal action to bring the process to a standstill
By Sasha RogelbergJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
Conferences
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
By Preston ForeJune 1, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.