Verizon To Launch Netflix Competitor In Early 2012

A new Verizon online video service may soon launch in an attempt to compete with Netflix and other video streaming services.

Under the firms new offering the service will be made available to more than 85 million Verizon FIOS broadband and cable market subscribers and if Reuters is correct the service could launch by early 2012.

It’s still unclear if Verizon will attempt to court traditional TV networks and other providers on the same scale as Netflix, one possibility is that the company will instead offer movie packages from the likes of Starz Play and children’s shows from Disney, Nickelodeon or another children’s service provider.

News of a Verizon streaming video services isn’t new, the company has been discussing the possibility to launch such a platform for the last two years but they have been worried about damaging their relationship with cable providers who might find the service to be a threat to their primary business models.

If Verizon moves forward with their service it will likely come with a price similar to that of Netflix and word of mouth says they will immediately form a deal with Time-Warner and Comcast which could potentially change the landscape of the entire industry.

Would you jump ship from Netflix to Verizon with Cablle or FIOS guaranteed connections?