A little over year after AT&T dipped into television by purchasing DirecTV, rival Verizon is itself doubling down on television, with a new free mobile TV platform.
Targeted toward Millennials, who are more likely than older viewers to consume TV via internet services like Netflix or Hulu than through broadcasts or traditional cable TV, the new service is ad-supported and goes by the name Go90.
The name, which is meant to suggest the 90-degree rotation needed to view video on a phone in “landscape” orientation, lacks any Verizon branding because the service is available to anyone, Verizon customer or not.
Go90 will offer shows on demand, some live-streamed events, and a smattering of original content—but not full access to television or cable network programming in real time. As a result, it’s unclear how it’s different from the myriad mobile and web-based options available. According to the The New York Times, Verizon has secured content from Comedy Central, Food Network, ESPN, NFL Network, Discover, Vice, and some live NFL games.
Given the Millennial targeting, the service is going to be mobile-only when it launches, but the Times also reports the company is considering options for enabling users to view the service on their conventional television screens.
