A1 Telekom Austria has introduced a zero-rating service as the first Austrian mobile network operator offering its customers unlimited access to selected video and audio streaming services.
The A1 Free Stream covers the video services A1 Now, Amazon Prime Video, kabel eins, kabel eins Doku, Laola1.tv, Netflix, ProSieben, ProSieben Maxx, Puls 4, Sat.1, Sat.1 Gold, sixx, Sky and Zappn. The music services part of the offer are Apple Music, Deezer, Kronehit, Amazon Music Unlimited, Amazon Prime Music, Spotify, 88.6, 88.6 Classic Rock, 88.6 80er and 88.6 Rock.
The A1 Free Stream is a free-of-charge part of the tariffs A1 Go! M, A1 Go! L and A1 Go! XL. Existing customers receive access when transferring into one of these tariffs.
According to A1 Telekom Austria, each interested legal music and video streaming provider can join the partner programme. The used-up data traffic will then not reduce the customers’ data allowance if the streaming services are used within Austria.
In Germany, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone are offering zero-rating services. Consumer protectors consider this to violate net neutrality, the equal transport of all data traffic on the internet. German regulator Bundesnetzagentur recently gave the green light to zero-rating services, but concluded that some parts of Deutsche Telekom’s tariff option violate net neutrality and EU roaming rules. An investigation into Vodafone’s tariff is still underway.
