Verizon has moved its "Channels"-like OTT wholesale market, +play, from the trial phase to beta, and it's offering a pretty big trinket to entice signups.
Starting this week, Verizon mobile, and 5G and LTE fixed wireless access customers who sign up for a streaming service through +play will receive 12 free months of the $19.99 Netflix Premium tier. (Yes, mathletes, that's a $240 value. You can read the Verizon announcement here.)
OTT services currently available via +play include Disney Plus, Hulu, NFL Plus, NBA League Pass, AMC Plus, Peloton App ... and, yes, HBO Max, which is notably reversing its course and returning to the Channels wholesale markets under its new retrograde Warner Bros. Discovery overlords.
Also read: Is Verizon +play the True Next-Generation MVPD?
Verizon introduced +play in trial phase back in March, offering customers access to popular streaming services through its own app and integrated billing. Verizon is using the same successful wholesale business model deployed by Amazon Prime Video Channels and Roku Channels, among other companies.
These wholesale platforms recoup up to half of revenue generated by service providers who participate in their respective marketplaces (although, Verizon hasn't disclosed its revenue-sharing requirements publicly). Channels store operators also get primary access to all the customer data, not to mention control of billing and other aspects of the subscriber relationship.
In exchange, service providers drive customer growth and scale. For many SVOD services, Amazon Prime Video Channels remains their biggest growth engine.
“The exclusive relationships Verizon has with the top subscription services and content providers, coupled with our distribution scale and customer retention, differentiates us and makes us the partner of choice for providers and customers alike,” said Verizon Chief Content Officer Erin McPherson. “On +play, customers can get savings and value they can’t access anywhere else and our content providers get vast distribution and stickiness that’s beyond reproach.”
