StreamOn in the Press

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What’s happened over the last few days? Several publications have covered the story, especially after consumer advocates strongly recommended banning StreamOn.

• Spiegel: Consumer advocates call for a ban on Telekom’s flat-rate plan
• Focus: Consumer centre calls for a ban on Telekom’s StreamOn streaming offer
• T3n/Golem: Consumer advocates call for a ban on Telekom’s StreamOn plan
• Netzpolitik: Consumer advocates say StreamOn violates net neutrality

The consumer association’s detailed statement is well worth reading and lists further arguments against zero-rating: it makes innovation harder and pushes customers into more expensive mobile plans.

• Federation of German Consumer Organisations: StreamOn violates net neutrality

On the question of boycotting the offer from the outset:

• Netzpolitik: How StreamOn excludes small content providers
• Heise: Telekom’s StreamOn: consumer advocates oppose zero-rating offer

On Twitter, Telekom answers critical questions at a kindergarten level: “Nonsense”—without making clear which particular point they’re responding to. Maybe everything they say really is nonsense?

@captainhagbard regarding your tweets: “Nonsense.” We see it differently, but whatever. StreamON: https://t.co/oKnX49zAX6 ^kc — Deutsche Telekom AG, May 26, 2017

Maybe testing the claim that nobody is discriminated against wasn’t such a bad idea after all. bitlove.org was of course rejected immediately. Was it because it’s too open? Because it supports downloads? Are all DRM-free services rejected, or does it depend on the mood of the day?

• Netzpolitik: Rejected by Telekom’s StreamOn: Streaming isn’t always streaming

Downloads from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple Music were accepted for StreamOn, though. The industry giants are allowed; the small provider isn’t. That’s discrimination—just not according to Telekom’s spokesperson, who opportunistically insists, as always, that everything is correct.

Spotify apparently still isn’t part of StreamOn because it wanted to distinguish free users from paying users. Telekom wouldn’t cooperate and is telling Spotify how to run its business.

• teltarif: Spotify on Telekom StreamOn: Why the music service isn’t included

The “Finally” campaign has already poisoned the mood among customers:

@vieuxrenard @timohetzel @bitsundso Why ruin #StreamOn for us users when everyone can freely choose their phone provider? — Patrick Stork, May 24, 2017

If StreamOn is banned, the backlash will come from mobile customers demanding unlimited streaming from their providers.