T-Mobile Announces Its Own TV Streaming Service for 2018
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T-Mobile on Wednesday announced that in 2018 it will launch its own internet TV service — a culmination of the Un-carrier’s recent acquisition of digital content pioneer, Layer 3 TV.
Calling it the “next phase” of his company’s mobile video strategy, T-Mobile CEO John Legere headlined the official announcement, noting how the upcoming service will be built using Layer 3’s technology to provide people who love TV, but hate their providers, a better option.
What Is Layer 3?
According to T-mobile, Layer 3 “seamlessly integrates the best of television, streaming online video content and social media.” And while it’s only available in limited number of markets across the U.S., at present, in acquiring Layer 3, T-Mobile ultimately hopes to tap into “the amazing content available from creators today” so as to change the present Cable TV distribution method for the better.
“People love their TV, but they hate their TV providers. And worse, they have no real choice but to simply take it – the crappy customer service, clunky technology and outrageous bills loaded with fees! That’s where we come in. We’re gonna fix the pain points and bring real choice to consumers across the country,” said Legere, T-Mobile USA’s President and CEO. “It only makes sense for the Un-carrier to do to TV what we’re doing to wireless: change it for good! Personally, I can’t wait to start fighting for consumers here!”
“No market needs Un-carrier-ing more than pay TV, so we’re completely stoked to join T-Mobile in disrupting the status quo,” added Jeff Binder, CEO of Layer3 TV, Inc. “Together with T-Mobile, we’re going to ditch everything you hate about cable and make everything you love about TV better.”
Additional Details
The service will reportedly be built from the ground up for customers who enjoy the benefits of cable TV, but want to free themselves from the service contracts, confusing bills, rocketing costs, outdated technologies, and “lousy customer service” they’d get from most of today’s TV providers.
T-Mobile cites the University of Michigan’s latest American Consumer Satisfaction Index, which reveals that of the 10 biggest American companies who received the lowest customer satisfaction score in 2017, eight are cable and TV providers.
“We’re in the midst of the Golden Age of TV, and yet people have never been more frustrated by the status quo created by Big Cable and Satellite TV,” said T-Mobile’s Chief Operating Officer, Mike Sievert. “That’s because the world is changing – with mobile video, streaming services, cord cutting, original content and more — and yet, the old guard simply can’t – or won’t – evolve.”
“It’s time for a disruptor to shake things up and give people real choice like only the Un-carrier can.”
Additional details about the service, including when it will launch in 2018 and how much it’ll cost, remain unknown at this time. However it’s definitely worth pointing out that T-Mobile is entering a highly-competitive market by pursuing its own mobile TV service — and while we certainly can’t compare or contrast it to the likes of Hulu, Netflix, YouTube TV or others at this time, we just hope T-mo is ready to put up a good fight.