Verizon launches subscription service aggregator, +Play, in open beta • TechCrunch

Back in March, at Verizon’s Investor Event, the company announced +Play, a free web-based platform exclusive to Verizon customers that aggregates subscription services across entertainment, music, gaming, fitness, lifestyle and more.

Today, Verizon launched +Play in open beta, allowing Verizon wireless, 5G Home and LTE Home customers to purchase and manage accounts for over 20 services, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, ESPN+, discovery+, AMC+, NFL+, NBA League Pass, NBA TV, as well as Live Nation’s live streaming concert service Veeps, Peloton, Calm, and Duolingo, among others.

Alongside the launch, Verizon is giving +Play users a Netflix Premium subscription for 12 months, which normally costs around $240 per year. The exclusive offer is only available for a limited time, the company wrote in today’s announcement.

Verizon customers can get +Play at no additional cost. To get early access to the beta, go to plusplay.verizon.com and log into the platform with your existing Verizon account info. Once a user subscribes to a service through +Play, they can use the service directly through the providers’ app or online portal.

Like many other subscription hubs, +Play includes a Discover tab for users to find content, a Shop tab, and a Manage tab where users can have all their account payments in one central place. Also, users will get +Play notifications every time a free trial period ends or if there are price changes to any subscription.

Verizon noted that the initial beta launch is only just the beginning as the platform will evolve over time, with plans to add new services, exclusive offers and features.

“As the network America relies on and one of the largest direct-to-consumer distributors in the U.S., Verizon is the partner of choice for content and subscriptions services, and we’re positioned to move the industry forward by offering customers more choice and enabling a seamless billing and management experience,” Erin McPherson, Chief Content Officer for Verizon, said in a statement. “We’re partnering with Netflix to offer customers all of their favorite content and a special offer only available in +Play.”

Verizon is likely betting that its millions of customers will want +Play, as the rise of streaming service aggregators increases. YouTube recently launched “Primetime Channels,” allowing users to subscribe and watch content from 30+ services. Other competitors include Amazon, Roku and Apple.

“This is a huge milestone for Verizon and the industry as a whole, and we’re incredibly proud to continue to be trailblazers in the new era of content and subscription services,” McPherson added.