T-mobile announced Wednesday that it is launching a program called Music Freedom, which will allow its customers to use popular music streaming apps without affecting their monthly data limits. Although on the surface the move is all upside, some net neutrality proponents are taking issue with the idea.
The plan will be rolling out with support for Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody, Slacker, iTunes Radio and iHeartRadio, which will cover 85 percent of T-Mobile customers. Samsung's Milk Music and the upcoming Beatport music app will also be included later on. T-Mobile customers can also vote for other music apps they enjoy. Those that receive a large number of votes will be added to the program.
"As a committed music freak, I'm personally outraged at the way the other guys are using the music you love to lure you into over-priced plans with sweet 'promotional offers' that quickly roll into higher prices or trigger those absurd overage charges," T-mobile CEO John Legere says in a statement. "Music should be free of all that. Music should have no limits."
Although customers seem optimistic about Music Freedom, many net neutrality supporters see it as a violation of the open internet. The program could make it difficult for smaller streaming apps to compete with those supported by Music Freedom. Customers would have little incentive to switch to a better app if it uses up precious data. T-Mobile's voting system could combat that, but it's unclear how detrimental the effect would be on new streaming apps.
T-Mobile was quick to point out that it has no commercial relationship with the streaming apps involved. Conversely, AT&T rolled out a program in January which allows content providers to pay for the data customers use through their apps. T-Mobile will be providing Music Freedom without charging anyone for the privilege.
While the strictest interpretation of net neutrality wouldn't allow any service that treats data differently, the focus of the debate has been blocking or slowing down traffic in order to restrict competition and extort money from content providers.
T-Mobile's Music Freedom won't do anything of the sort, but some net neutrality advocates claim that exemption from the data cap has enough significant effect that it should be included in open internet policies. Thus far, the Federal Communications Commission has been largely concerned with protecting the interests of consumers, and so long as T-Mobile continues providing the service at no charge and based on apps customers select, it's difficult to see how consumers would be harmed by Music Freedom.
