I know this is going to come as galloping shock to most of you – but people like free stuff. They like unlimited free stuff – even more than that.
So much so that they don’t mind slight reductions in quality – if it’s in the midst of an endless cavalcade of free stuff.
People are adults. They are capable of weighing the pros and cons of a given situation – and making a decision about what they like and what they do not.
And since we already know we like free stuff, you can keep your shock horses stabled for the following.
Binge On A Resounding Success With 99% Satisfaction: “Binge On has been a success for T-Mobile USA, with 99% of Binge On users indicating satisfaction in the video streaming experience, despite delivery at reduced bit rates. Results from Strategy Analytics’ AppOptix USA panel also identified high-levels of interest from customers of AT&T and Verizon in trading unlimited access to mobile video in exchange for limited quality video streaming.”
99% of people – like free stuff. Shocking.
What is T-Mobile’s Binge On?
“Simple Choice users on a qualifying plan are FREE to stream unlimited video on your favorite services like YouTube, Netflix, HBO NOW, and many more without using a drop of your high-speed data.”
T-Mobile operates a finite wireless network. Because wireless spectrum is a finite resource. And T-Mobile doesn’t own it all. And converting wireless spectrum into data-accommodating bandwidth costs a TON of money.
So to accommodate all these free streamers on their network – T-Mobile slightly degrades the data speed they receive. Which, again, 99% of adults – making adult decisions for themselves – don’t mind at all.
Guess who does mind? Guess who couldn’t care less what you adults thinking for yourselves think, want and choose for yourselves. Guess who wants the government to override 99% of Americans – and outlaw things like Binge On.
You probably guessed: The obnoxious, irritating, interloping Left. Who are freaking out about the alleged damage your free will does to a really dumb government fiat known as Network Neutrality.
Zero-Rating Plans Are a Serious Threat to the Open Internet: “As we pass the first anniversary of the FCC’s landmark net neutrality rules, Internet service providers (ISPs) like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are using new ‘zero-rating’ plans to undermine the spirit and the text of the rules. Zero-rating allows ISPs to exempt certain content from customers’ data caps.”
Here we achieve Alanis Morrisette-esque irony Nirvana. The Left is screeching in objection to the American people getting free data. But what is one of the many awful results of incredibly awful Net Neutrality?
“70% of all U.S. bandwidth is consumed by video streaming. Netflix all by itself uses 37%. Netflix and YouTube-owning-Google all by themselves – use 50%. And Amazon – in addition to their inordinately busy online shopping mega-mall – offers video-content-streaming Amazon Prime.
“And thanks to uber-stupid Net Neutrality – these bandwidth hogs don’t have to pay for their unlimited time at the trough. Even though they’re consuming more than half the bill of fare.
“Which leaves you and me paying MUCH more for Internet service. Because the nation’s Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have but two sides to charge. The likes of Netflix, Google and Amazon – and us. So Net Neutrality mandates that we generously pick up their titanic tabs.”
Get that? These enormous companies get unlimited free bandwidth – at our expense – as the result of a government fiat.
And the Left loves it.
Private companies like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile voluntarily offer unlimited free data – and adults make adult decisions to engage in commerce with these private companies so as to avail themselves of the offers.
And the Left loathes it. And wants the government to ban it.
The final awful joke – in a seemingly endless cavalcade of them?
Major U.S. Consumer Groups Support FCC Action on Net Neutrality
These Leftists call themselves “consumer” groups. Because they’re obviously so pro-consumer.
Hilarious, right?
This first appeared in Red State.