Quibi, an upcoming mobile-first streaming service, has found a logical distribution partner in T-Mobile, which has plans for a mobile video platform service.
According to the Los Angeles Times, terms of the agreement are still somewhat vague but Quibi, which is launching in April 2020, will be a part of T-Mobile’s service. But as Variety points out, Quibi won’t be limited to T-Mobile; any wireless subscriber will be able to sign up for the service.
“Quibi will deliver premium video content for millennials on a technology platform that is built exclusively for mobile, so a telecommunications partner like T-Mobile, with their broad coverage today and impressive 5G road map, is the perfect fit,” said Quibi CEO Meg Whitman in a statement to the publication.
“Of course, Quibi and T-Mobile are working together - we’re two mobile-centric disruptors committed to challenging the status quo and giving customers incredible experiences,” said T-Mobile CEO John Legere in a statement.
When Quibi launches on April 6 next year, it will have two service tiers. The base tier will cost $4.99 per month and include one pre-roll ad before each video segment. The ad will be 10 seconds if the video is less than five minutes, and 15 seconds if the video is between five and 10 minutes long. The service will also offer an ad-free option for $7.99 per month.
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It’s unclear if Quibi will fit in somehow with T-Mobile’s plans for a mobile video service. Earlier this year, T-Mobile Chief Operating Officer Mike Sievert provided some further details about T-Mobile’s mobile video service plans. He said that T-Mobile wants to provide a service that helps customers choose the video subscription plans that make the most sense for them, as well as handling billing and search and discovery for those services.
“We think there’s a more nuanced role for us to play in helping you get access to the great media brands out there that you love and to be able to put together your own media subscription in smaller pieces: $5, $6, $7 or $8 at a time,” said Sievert. “It’s an exciting future for us.”
Last April, T-Mobile signed a content deal with Viacom covering live channels and on-demand video for a mobile TV service T-Mobile will launch later this year.