Verizon Signs Apple and Google as Partners for 5G TV Service

Verizon announced deals making Apple and Google its first video providers for a 5G wireless service the company plans to launch in four cities later this year, according to Bloomberg.

The home broadband service will debut in Los Angeles, Houston and Sacramento, , as well as the newly announced fourth city of Indianapolis, Verizon said in a statement. With the introduction, Verizon will provide 5G customers either a free Apple TV box or free subscription to Google’s YouTube TV app for live television service, according to people familiar with the plan.

After shelving its own online TV effort, Verizon decided to partner with the two technology giants for video content, a first step toward eventually competing nationally against internet and pay TV providers. Using 5G, Verizon plans to beam online services to home receivers, delivering speeds that match or exceed landline connections.

Subscribers to the 5G service will also be offered live NFL and NBA games, as well as news programs through Verizon’s own Oath media division. The Apple TV box would serve as the portal for living-room access to video programming, while Google’s YouTube TV offers more than 60 channels of live television for $40 a month.

The upcoming launch of 5G service will be a key test for Verizon. The largest U.S. wireless carrier is pressing ahead with an expensive network technology upgrade that must surmount several challenges. Some details of the new service, such as timing and price, are still under discussion.