On November 12, Verizon will begin offering 12 months of Disney+ to all of its new and existing 4G LTE and 5G unlimited wireless customers, the companies said today in a joint statement.
It’s a great way for Disney to juice its early subscriber numbers and for Verizon to add a tantalizing perk as competition heats up for both streaming media companies and telecoms whose media strategy still seems a little… muddled.
While Comcast and AT&T each have their own successful media properties, Verizon (which owns Verizon Media Group, which owns TechCrunch) has seen its fortunes in the media landscape wane as much of the investment thesis behind buying Aol… then Yahoo… then merging them into Oath… then rebranding them as Verizon Media Group… fizzled.
Tying itself to Disney+ — even just promotionally — makes good business sense.
Through the agreement, Verizon customers get access to everything Disney+ has to offer, including the highly anticipated Star Wars television series, “The Mandalorian,” and another 25 original films and documentaries. Watch the over three hour-long teaser trailer below for an exhaustive look at every. single. Disney. piece. of. content. coming. to. the. service.
“Giving Verizon customers an unprecedented offer and access to Disney+ on the platform of their choice is yet another example of our commitment to provide the best premium content available through key partnerships on behalf of our customers,” said Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg, in a statement. “Our work with Disney extends beyond Disney+ as we bring the power of 5G Ultra Wideband technology to the entertainment industry through exciting initiatives with Disney Innovation Studios and in the parks,” he added.
Here’s the deal: At launch, Verizon becomes the exclusive wireless carrier to offer 12 months of Disney+ for its new and existing customers. The offer also extends to its new Fios Home Internet and 5G Home Internet customers.
Folks can activate their Disney+ subscription and start streaming on devices including game consoles, streaming media players and smart televisions.