T-Mobile US struck a content distribution deal with major entertainment company Viacom, ahead of the operator’s planned launch of a mobile TV service.
In a statement, T-Mobile CEO John Legere (pictured, right) said the deal will bring some of the “best, most-popular” programming to the forthcoming platform, including content from MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, among others. The agreement covers both live linear feeds of Viacom channels and on-demand content.
Viacom CEO Bob Bakish said the move plays into the media company’s strategy to “accelerate the presence of our brands on mobile and other next-generation platforms”.
The announcement comes as T-Mobile prepares to launch its TV service by end-June, after delays to an expected debut of the service in late 2018.
In December 2017, T-Mobile signed a deal to acquire OTT video provider Layer3 TV, and has since been developing what it called its “first wave of home and mobile TV offerings”.
Instead of offering a set bundle, T-Mobile COO Mike Sievert (pictured, left) said during a recent earnings call the mobile TV offering will allow users to curate their own media subscription in pieces, “$5, $6, $7, $8 at a time”.
“We don’t have plans to develop an undifferentiated skinny bundle out there,” he said at the time, adding “we think we can play a role for our customers…bringing these worlds of media and the rest of your digital and social and mobile life together.”
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