What if your carrier will not be charged for streaming music on mobile?

A few days ago that the operator T-Mobile announced an interesting development in its service to clients served in the United States. The program, called Music Freedom allows that certain music streaming service has no cost to users. Hear music streaming will be them cost zero on their mobile bills.

The list of suppliers includes Pandora, Rhapsody (variant T-Mobile, called “Rhapsody unRadio”), iHeartRadio, iTunes Radio, Slacker, Spotify and Milk, but also users can vote on the official website of the initiative to try to get other services (such as Google Play Music or Rdio) are also available. A priori the idea is great, but some analysts suggest that this could again weaken the concept of net neutrality.

Data “musical” unlimited

John Legere, the CEO of T-Mobile, stood before his audience in a scenario in which the colors pink squeaky-own the branding of the company clearly-sent. And the truth is that characteristic shrill moved to the two big announcements very striking-they-night at the Paramount Theater in Seattle. The first, allowing other customers to try out the service with a free loan (with requirements, of course) an iPhone 5S. The second: the aforementioned Music Freedom program, which in my opinion was much-but-much more interesting.

The decision of T-Mobile is a novelty for a segment, the mobile operators, which usually tries to take economic advantage of what’s in it each time. And now that it is data. In many other countries-continue giving head to the absurdity of combining 4G speeds ridiculous odds 1GB data per month, so free users from such spending seems at first almost a utopia.

In fact, free streaming of music not only leaves them free to customers of T-Mobile. Such streaming services not paid hard this operator, a move that contrasts with the AT & T took a few months ago to charge suppliers service for the right to serve multimedia content without their share of monthly customer data “is ate”.

What is the trick? It’s hard to say, of course. If T-Mobile does not charge its users or operators, the move seems destined to attract more customers to this generous offer. Proponents of net neutrality, however, have a different view.

T-Mobile defends

Legere did not give too much importance to these problems when asked in the article about CNN. In that half indicated that “Legere downplayed concerns about the implications of net neutrality that had transmitted the organization Music Freedom, noting that new services could be included in the program easily”.

When asked about this issue on T-Mobile also led critics to the survey being conducted in the official website of the service in which users can vote for the services you want to join to the proposal that also those streamings are free. These are Amazon Prime, Betas, All Access Google, Grooveshark, Jango Radio, Last.fm, Rdio, Sirius XM, Sony Music, SoundCloud and TuneIn Adio, and a spokesman for T-Mobile aádía that “we have started with music services cover 85% of customers but we are enabling them to be who they want to tell us what other services”.

Defending T-Mobile is bit questionable, especially when trying to facilitate the opening of the offer to other content providers. It is unclear what kind of customer response must occur for T-Mobile to unlock doors that service effectively. 10,000 customers? Should vote for the service? 100,000?? A million?

The data plans from T-Mobile, though, are not exactly cheap in comparison with the rates offered by operators. For 50 dollars a month we have 1 GB of data 4 G (if our Mobile supports it), as well as calls, messages, and “unlimited” data. And put it in quotes because after reaching the gigabyte transfer rate is reduced to 128 Kbps, which actually is not that bad considering that this cut Movistar speed after reaching the quota data happens to be 16 Kbps If we add the fact that there is unlimited music streaming to the aforesaid or-and this is important-the per capita income in U.S. is clearly superior to that of many countries, the accounts seem to leave.

And yet, it is obvious that the tactic of T-Mobile favors certain services and content over others. Therefore, compromises the concept of net neutrality, and makes such sites or streaming video on mobile multiplayer games-by little extended time, but that segment will more-not to enjoy that privilege. If you want to watch TV shows on your mobile or compete with your friends in a game, watch out, because the meter run of T-Mobile as in the rest of the operators.

Maybe come a day when the boundaries disappear and we can have that dream flat rate mobility. Meanwhile, the proposed T-Mobile, although attractive, causes the balance of net neutrality will see a rather more inclined towards that ambition to create a Premium Internet users and one for walk. You know what they say: nobody gives a free lunch.