It is an odd duck but foretells a potential disruptive move in the cable/MSO/content space. This is Verizon Wireless not Verizon Fios who is doing this. This box, combined with their 5G service, is a potential disrupter to the MSO space (older brother Fios included).

MSOs make most of their margin on internet services vs. content. The content side comes from the legacy TV services they run (and are chartered to continue). It always baffled me why they fight cord cutting so hard. They should welcome more network subscribers and be happy to offload the content wars to others (e.g. Netflix, Disney+, NBC/Peacock, Hulu, etc.)

Verizon has an answer to Roku, but it’s not talking much about it: The mobile carrier quietly released a new streaming device this week that promises to bring services like HBO, Hulu and YouTube to your TV. Dubbed Stream TV, the device is a solid streamer based on Google’s Android TV platform, albeit with a few notable omissions. Instead of signing up customers for its expensive Fios TV service, Verizon aims to offer them a cheap and easy way to get to their favorite streaming apps, while hopefully using Verizon’s network for internet access. The carrier is giving Stream TV for free to anyone who subscribes to the company’s new 5G Home Internet service — a service that is for now only available in parts of Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Chicago.

https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/verizon-stream-tv-review-1203405682/

So maybe the real disruption in the space is not coming from an upstart but a big player who has assets to break the cable company physical lock-in and who’s happy to allow you to stream whatever content you like. Its an odd duck now but affords this future. Now let’s see when 5G comes about and if it can handle this volume.