By Drew FitzGerald 

Verizon Communications Inc. said it would give wireless customers on unlimited data plans a year of free access to Disney+, giving the new streaming entrant a huge potential boost before its Nov. 12 launch and scrambling the cellphone market.

Verizon said the video service from Walt Disney Co., which includes films and TV series from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, among others, will also be offered to new Fios internet and 5G home broadband customers.

Terms of the deal weren't immediately available. The move follows an earlier deal T-Mobile US Inc. struck that gives some of its unlimited wireless customers free Netflix Inc. access .

Disney+ is one of several new video services looking to challenge Netflix's dominance of the streaming market. Already the competitors are looking for ways to grab customers as they roll their services out. Apple Inc. is giving its Apple TV+ service free for a year to customers who purchase new iPhones.

Rival AT&T Inc. plans to unveil its own streaming video service, HBO Max, next week.

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 22, 2019 10:42 ET (14:42 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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