Several Verizon insiders familiar with the company's video plans tell DSLReports.com that Verizon is backing away from a massive IPTV push it had planned in the new year. Originally, we noted how Verizon was cooking up the launch of a new ONT, a new gateway, and an entirely new IPTV platform different from the existing, coax-based offering. Customers that had been participating in the beta test of the new hardware and IPTV service had been offered a free year of bundled triple play service in exchange for putting the offering through its paces.
But sources tell us Verizon's IPTV service has officially been cancelled as the company continues to shift its focus toward wireless and a looming over the top live TV streaming platform.
"The IPTV product was officially canceled," one source states. "Employees received an email in early December instructing those involved in the trial to choose new packages and schedule a subsequent tech visit to remove and replace the STB's."
A second source confirms the cancellation, noting that existing trial participants will soon be informed they're being migrated back to Verizon's traditional FiOS TV platform shortly.
"Today we're notifying all trial participants of potential new Fios TV features that the trial is officially coming to a close," an internal Verizon employee notification states. "Some of you have provided feedback and comments, and we appreciate the time you took to test the service for us. If you were a trial participant, you will receive a separate communication with additional details."
The rumored cancellation comes on the heels of reports back in October that indicated the company's IPTV efforts had hit a wall as executives bickered over the direction Verizon's video efforts should take. Many Verizon executives are arguably obsessed with the quest to offer a live TV streaming platform, though like many companies, Verizon attempts to secure the necessary licensing agreements for that effort has proven challenging. Verizon's struggles with Go90 also leave many wondering if the company has the comptency to actually launch a truly innovative, disruptive OTT video product.
It's unclear if Verizon will still be offering new ONTs and gateways in the new year, and Verizon has yet to respond for a request for comment. There's an
additional, ongoing thread in our Verizon FiOS TV forum with some additional observations from existing users.