Competition in the wireless space can sometimes seem a little absurd, and even more so for carriers competing outside the wireless space such as Verizon and AT&T. Still, when the chance to make money off of a rival arises, even if it means helping them out, it would be foolish to pass it up in most instances. AT&T certainly didn’t pass up such an opportunity when they allowed Verizon to sell DIRECTV temporarily in markets not wired up for FiOS TV. A special triple play bundle came of the deal, and Verizon hawked it as a limited time offer, only available until the end of October. Verizon has doubled back however, and will be offering the triple play DIRECTV bundle now until the 17th of December.
When customers sign up for one of the bundle packages (which includes your basic home phone and a few web options topping out at about 15 megabits per second) they can expect it to run between $74.99 to $99.99. AT&T and Verizon reportedly bill the customers jointly, which is likely a much easier way for AT&T to get their pound of flesh than Verizon having to figure out how much they owe AT&T each billing cycle based on customer count and packages. Aside from the cable being served up by DIRECTV, all of the usual Verizon TV trappings are available, such as the NFL Sunday Ticket offer, along with discounts on premium DVR units and premium movies for higher-tier packages.
All things considered, Verizon is offering up a pretty sweet deal for markets that don’t have FiOS cable available, making customers in those markets just as satisfied as customers who have access to FiOS TV, even if it means teaming up with AT&T. While the pair’s enmity in various fields may be trumped by their shared desire for customers’ cash for now, Verizon’s people did not disclose how long the deal with AT&T that makes all of this possible will last. That means that those who happen to be in markets that don’t have FiOS TV and want Verizon’s other services bundled with their cable TV should act fast, since this may well be the last time such a package is offered. It should be noted that customers who jump on board now could see a glut of new content become available when and if AT&T’s bid to buy Time Warner goes through.