If you read some recent tech news reports, you’d think wireless carriers have committed an act of sedition. The overblown debate about sponsored data, or zero-rating, as it’s otherwise known, reached fever pitch with the finding that T-Mobile provides less than high-definition video to its customers through its Binge On service. Gasp! How will we live? 

The entire episode reignited a debate about whether wireless carriers can and should be providing their consumers with sponsored data services. In theory and in practice, sponsored data benefits consumers. Not only do consumers benefit from being able to enjoy their favorite sites, music, videos, app downloads and even Web searches without it counting toward their data plans, but it also leaves them with additional data to get more use out of their monthly plans. I don’t see what’s not to like about this. 

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