Verizon is pulling the plug on its streaming marketplace that allowed wireless and home Internet customers to sign up for third-party subscriptions.
The platform, called Plus-Play (stylized as +play), first launched in December 2022 and gave Verizon customers the option to have their Netflix, Disney Plus, Max and other subscriptions billed to the same account as their Verizon services.
Verizon Plus-Play also offered unique bundles that paired services like Netflix and Max together at exclusive price points, often lower than the individual retail cost of each service.
It isn’t clear how many Verizon customers took advantage of the services and bundles offered through the Plus-Play marketplace, though Verizon has been increasingly focused on moving customers over to its streaming video, music and retail perks on its newer MyPlus wireless plan and MyHome Internet tier.
That appears to be the reason why Verizon is now winding down its Plus-Play marketplace, according to notices sent to customers this week.
“Verizon is committed to providing the best value, choice and experience for customers,” one note said, according to a copy obtained by The Desk. “We’ve evolved our +play platform via the creation of MyPlan and MyHome, which takes the top entertainment platforms and makes them available at exclusive savings to our mobile and home customers in a simple and easy-to-manage construct.”
Verizon says more than half of its wireless customers are on a MyPlan tier, and both MyPlan and MyHome “provide the easiest path to the content and entertainment services that our customers want the most.”
Existing wireless and home Internet subscribers who purchased subscriptions and memberships through Plus-Play will be allowed to keep and manage them, but new and existing customers won’t be able to start new subscriptions through Plus-Play after July 9.
Verizon worked with technology firm Bango and its Digital Vending Machine to power the Play-Play platform. It isn’t clear if both sides are still working together, but some of the perks that were previously offered through Plus-Play — including a unique bundle that unites the ad-supported tiers of Netflix and Max for $10 per month — continue to be offered through MyPlan.
Other subscription plans available through MyPlan include the ad-supported Disney Trio bundle (Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus), Apple One, Apple Music Family, YouTube Premium and Google One AI Premium.
Bango continues to provide direct and white-label versions of the Digital Vending Machines to other telecoms in the United States, including T-Mobile, Comcast’s Xfinity and Altice U.S.-owned Optimum.
