Verizon offers free Netflix
Verizon partnered with Netflix to offer a free year of Netflix Premium. Verizon users can now subscribe to a variety of streaming services on their new streaming hub, +play, and payment for the streaming platform will then be connected to their mobile phone or home internet bill. Users that sign up for another service available on the +play hub (including NFL+, NBA League Pass, HBO Max, AMC+, and more), will receive a year of Netflix Premium (normally $19.99/month) for free. This new hub is similar to how Amazon Prime Video Channels works – allowing users to subscribe to myriad streaming platforms directly through Prime Video. While Verizon is not in the content creation space, this allows the company to play a part in the growing streaming environment.
The NPD Take:
- Verizon is taking a new stab at the TV world by creating this hub. It will allow users access to streaming platforms they may have otherwise forgone and will make payment easier. Most notable, this allows Verizon to earn fees for sign-up and usage on their platform.
- Amazon is currently the most prominent intermediary for users to subscribe to streaming services through one platform, although others like Apple, Roku, Google, and Sling do something similar. Verizon is entering a highly competitive market.
DirecTV gives streaming discounts
DirecTV Stream customers will now be able to add Peacock Premium streaming service to their bill for 40% off the normal price. For $2.99 (compared to the streamer charging $4.99 normally), users of vMVPD DirecTV Stream will be able to subscribe to Peacock with ads. This discount offer comes after last week’s announcement that DirecTV partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery to offer their customers Discovery+ with ads at a 40% discounted price.
The NPD Take
- By offering this incentive DirecTV is attempting to keep its customers as they may be on the fence about canceling pay-TV.
- This is similar to Verizon trying to become viewer’s entertainment hub beyond offering a traditional bundled pay TV service. But the big difference here is that DirecTV is using it to keep you in the old school bundle and ad streaming service revenues on top.