Verizon and AT&T/DirecTV are pushing forward with more zero-rated fare on the mobile front as the FCC continues to mull how such policies should (or shouldn’t) apply to its network neutrality rules.
RELATED: Pro Zero-Rating Comments Flood FCC (subscription required)
Verizon Wireless, for example, is now zero-rating live local and primetime NFL games delivered on its mobile network through its exclusive with the league. Games streamed on Verizon’s mobile network don’t count toward the subscriber’s monthly data allowance, with the caveat that they are postpay subs and watching on the carrier’s LTE network.
Verizon’s already been active with zero-rated policies with a FreeBee Data, which focuses on sponsored content.
AT&T and DirecTV, meanwhile, launched a new app last week that lets users view live and recorded content without eating through their mobile data caps via a “Data Free TV” feature. Of course, that only applies to pay TV subs who get AT&T’s mobile service.
Among other enhancements, the DirecTV app now offers up to 315 live TV channels via WiFi or mobile and access to recorded content on the home DVR and an option to download most shows and movies recorded to the sub’s local DVR. The catch for those features is that that the customer must be on a “Select” subscription or above and have the Genie HD DVR 44 model and above.
And here’s a video about it:
