T-Mobile is giving away Netflix service to its family-plan customers

Advertisement
T-Mobile is giving away Netflix service to its family-plan customers

john legere t-mobile

Steve Marcus/Reuters

T-Mobile US CEO John Legere speaks at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

T-Mobile customers will soon be getting Netflix service for free, compliments of the wireless company.

Advertisement

Starting on September 12, customers with at least two lines on T-Mobile's One family plan will be able to activate a standard $10 a month Netflix subscription at no extra cost, T-Mobile announced Wednesday. The deal is open to both existing and new T-Mobile customers and to both those who already have a Netflix account and those who don't.

"The future is mobile, over-the-top and unlimited," said T-Mobile CEO John Legere in a press release.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

T-Mobile is positioning the announcement as as yet another one of its "Un-carrier" moves that differentiate the company from its much larger competitors, AT&T and Verizon. Those giant carriers have had a difficult time maintaining the speed of their networks as Americans watch more video and use more data on mobile devices, T-Mobile said in the press release.

When asked if T-Mobile was concerned that Netflix binges might slow down speeds on its network, a company representatives said, "Hell no. Our network was built for the video era!"

Advertisement

To activate the complimentary Netflix subscription, T-Mobile customers can go to the company's website, to a T-Mobile store, or call a customer service agent. The Netflix service includes access to high-definition videos and allows customers to stream videos on up to two devices simultaneously. But customers can apply the $10 monthly credit from T-Mobile to Netflix's $12 per month premium plan so they pay just $2 a month for that service, which offers ultra-high resolution 4K video streams and allows subscribers to tune in Netflix videos on up to four devices at once.

By default, T-Mobile streams videos in standard-definition, 480p resolution, although it allows customers to choose instead to stream higher resolution videos, which require far more bandwidth. Although the company's standard service plans promise unlimited data, T-Mobile warns customers that it may slow their network speeds if they consume more than 32 gigabytes in any given month.

T-Mobile and Netflix did not disclose the details of their agreement, but T-Mobile indicated it would be paying Netflix on behalf of its customers.

"This is not something Netflix is giving us for free," Legere said on a conference call with reporters, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We're taking care of your Netflix bill for you."