T-Mobile will end its TVision live TV offerings, partner with Philo and YouTube TV, and make Google Messages the default messaging app for Android customers
T-Mobile's TV effort moved from its Layer3 TV acquisition to TVision Home, then to the 2020 launch of TVision streaming tiers. Ending the live service returns the company to the earlier position that it would help customers discover and pay for existing bundles rather than build its own.
The Google Messages decision links T-Mobile's customer software choices to a broader carrier shift: related coverage says AT&T also adopted Google’s messaging app for Android SMS and RCS services.
First-order effects
TVision live customers must shift to T-Mobile’s partner offers from Philo or YouTube TV, while T-Mobile stops operating its own live-TV bundle.
Google Messages becomes T-Mobile’s default Android messaging app, replacing the carrier’s prior default messaging choice for affected customers.
Second-order effects
Philo and YouTube TV gain a direct T-Mobile distribution channel, while T-Mobile can retain a role in TV discovery and billing without carrying the operating burden of a proprietary service.
AT&T’s matching Android Messages move leaves Verizon as the named major carrier not yet switched, increasing the contrast in default messaging experiences among U.S. Android customers.
Third-order effects
The TV retreat points to carriers acting more as subscription distributors than owners of live-TV products, with specialist streaming services supplying the bundle.
If more carriers follow T-Mobile and AT&T on defaults, Android messaging service choices will be set increasingly by Google-carrier alignment rather than by each carrier’s standalone app.
The trend: Telecom operators are shedding owned consumer-media products in favor of partner distribution while standardizing more of the Android software experience around Google.
Twogether we're bringing customers best-in-class mobile experiences with: 📱 Android & Pixel devices that show the power of our 5G network 💬 Next-gen messaging, for our customers first 🎦 An unmatched deal on YouTube TV Learn more: https://www.t-mobile.com/... https://twitter.com/.…
@android
@android on x
#Google + @TMobile are bringing richer messaging with RCS to millions of Android customers. 📷 Send + receive better quality photos + videos 💬 Chat over Wifi or data 👥 Share reactions + enjoy more dynamic group chats See what else is coming: https://www.t-mobile.com/... https://tw…
@chriswelch
Chris Welch on x
Just five months after getting into streaming live TV, T-Mobile is already getting OUT. At least with its own service. TVision Live shuts down in April. The carrier has announced that YouTube TV is now its solution for premium, live TV. https://www.theverge.com/...
@geekwire
@geekwire on x
T-Mobile will default to YouTube TV, shutter its own live TV services, in expanded Google partnership https://www.geekwire.com/...
@samsindha
Sam Sindha on x
Together with @Google, @TMobile is bringing even more value, service & benefits to America's FASTEST and LARGEST 5G network ⚡️ Started with the T-Mobile G-1 in 2008 (anyone carry one of these back in the day ✋) and now we're HERE🎉 https://www.t-mobile.com/... via @TMobile
@reckless
Nilay Patel on x
This is very funny, since the main thing T-Mobile learned is that TV networks like being paid the correct rates for their programming https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@techwithbrett
Brett Bristow on x
Does this mean RCS might finally work for me? So far none of my phones can do this. https://twitter.com/...
@backlon
Dieter Bohn on x
Perhaps the wildest part of this is how quickly T-Mo bailed on its own streaming TV product: https://twitter.com/...
@inafried
Ina Fried on x
So @TMobile is getting tighter w @google, dropping its TVision service that stemmed from Layer3 and will comarket YouTube TV. Also partnering more on messaging service Pixel hardware and more. https://www.t-mobile.com/...
@toddbishop
@toddbishop on x
T-Mobile customers who already subscribe to YouTube TV will be able to get the $10 monthly discount by canceling their current subscriptions and signing up again with a coupon code, @TMobile says. https://twitter.com/...