Verizon is getting ready to launch an online bundle of TV channels that aims to compete with similar offerings from AT&T, Dish Network and Sony, according to Bloomberg News.
The unnamed streaming service could come with "dozens" of channels, according to the report, and may be released as an app as soon as this summer.
With Americans spending more time these days watching video on mobile devices, companies across the media and telecom ecosystem have been racing to offer smaller bundles of cable content over the internet. They are also seeking to balance out losses in their traditional cable TV subscriptions and to target the tens of millions of Americans who do not subscribe to pay TV.
Verizon could be the latest major provider to offer live TV over the internet, though Comcast has also reportedly made moves toward a streaming television product by securing streaming rights to channels it has a relationship with.
Already on the market are Dish's SlingTV, Sony's PlayStation Vue and Google's announced, but not launched, YouTube TV. Each service offers a variety of channels for $20 to $70 a month.
Verizon has experimented with online video before. Its Go90 service, which launched in 2015, is aimed at younger audiences and provides access to short-form videos. But a full cable-replacement app would be a much larger undertaking.
Verizon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/technology/ct-verizon-streaming-tv-wp-bsi-20170402-story.html