Music streaming has become an integral part of our daily lives, providing the soundtrack to our workouts, commutes, social gatherings and moments of solitude. According to the latest IFPI Global Music Report, music streaming revenues grew 19.9% in 2020 and accounted for 62.1% of total global recorded music revenues.
As one of the pioneers and leaders in music streaming, Spotify has amassed 182 million premium subscribers worldwide as of Q1 2022, representing a 15% year-over-year increase. The platform‘s ad-supported free tier also continues to grow, with 252 million monthly active users as of March 2022.
With such a massive user base and cultural impact, it‘s no surprise that many Verizon Wireless customers in the US are wondering if they can get Spotify bundled with their mobile plans. After all, Verizon heavily promotes its various content partnerships, especially with video services like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
As a consumer expert and self-proclaimed audio aficionado, I wanted to take a deep dive into Verizon‘s current wireless plans and offerings to see if and how Spotify fits into the equation. Does Verizon have any deals with Spotify or other music streaming services? How does its strategy compare to competitors like T-Mobile and AT&T? And what should Verizon customers know about streaming music on the nation‘s largest mobile network?
Verizon‘s Music Streaming Strategy (or Lack Thereof)
Let‘s cut to the chase: as of September 2022, Verizon does not offer a free Spotify subscription with any of its consumer wireless plans, either postpaid or prepaid. The carrier‘s main content bundles are focused squarely on video, with the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ streaming package being the most heavily promoted deal across its unlimited plans.
This stands in stark contrast to Verizon‘s competitors, who have leaned into music streaming partnerships as a way to differentiate their offerings:
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T-Mobile has offered a free Netflix subscription on some family plans since 2017. It also currently offers a free year of Apple TV+ and Paramount+. For music, T-Mobile includes a basic Pandora Plus subscription with some unlimited plans and offers a discount on Amazon Music Unlimited.
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AT&T has a longstanding relationship with HBO/Warner, offering free HBO Max on its top-tier unlimited plans. It previously offered a Spotify Premium bundle but has since ended that promotion.
So why isn‘t Verizon playing ball when it comes to music streaming? There are a few potential reasons:
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Video is king. Verizon sees video as the "killer app" for driving 5G adoption and showcasing its network speeds. By focusing on video streaming bundles, it can tout benefits like 4K UHD resolution and low latency as reasons to switch or upgrade. Music doesn‘t allow for the same marketing sizzle.
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Music bundles have diminishing returns. With the rise of music streaming, most consumers already subscribe to a service like Spotify or Apple Music. Partnering with just one platform risks alienating users of the others. It‘s harder to drive new subscriptions than with niche streaming services.
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Data consumption concerns. Music streaming does eat up mobile data, even if it‘s not as intensive as video. By not promoting music bundles, Verizon could be trying to manage network congestion and drive users toward its more expensive unlimited plans.
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Royalty fee headaches. Bundling music streaming could require Verizon to negotiate special royalty rates with music labels and publishers. By steering clear of music, it avoids those licensing headaches and costs. Video services have more flexible terms.
This is not to say Verizon has completely ignored music streaming. It did offer a 6-month trial of Apple Music with some plans back in 2019-2020. But that promotion has since ended, with no signs of returning or being replaced by a Spotify deal.
The State of Streaming in 2022
To understand Verizon‘s content bundling strategy, it‘s worth zooming out to look at the larger "streaming wars" landscape. With the launch of high-profile video services like Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock, and Paramount+ in recent years, competition for consumer attention and dollars has reached a fever pitch.
According to Deloitte‘s 2022 Digital Media Trends survey, the average US consumer now subscribes to 4 paid video streaming services. But with inflation and subscription fatigue setting in, growth is starting to slow. 53% of respondents are planning to cut back on subscriptions in the next 6 months.
In this environment, bundling streaming services with wireless plans has become a key acquisition and retention tool for carriers. By offering "free" subscriptions to popular platforms, carriers hope to entice new customers and keep existing ones from jumping ship.
But while video streaming has been the main battleground, audio is still a major consumer use case for mobile devices. Edison Research‘s Share of Ear study found that 32% of all audio consumed in the US is now via streaming platforms like Spotify and Pandora, surpassing both AM/FM radio and owned music.
Music streaming has also become a significant portion of overall mobile data traffic. A 2019 report by Sandvine found that music streaming accounted for 7.7% of all mobile traffic in North America, with Spotify alone making up 2.1%. And this was before the widespread adoption of 5G and lossless audio formats.
As 5G networks continue to roll out and more users upgrade to 5G-capable devices, music streaming could see a further boost. Faster speeds and lower latency will enable higher quality audio streaming, as well as new mobile-first music experiences like Spotify‘s "Only You" personalized playlists.
Verizon, for its part, has been aggressively expanding its 5G network, with a focus on high-band millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum for maximum performance. As of July 2022, Verizon‘s Ultra Wideband 5G network covers over 152 million people in 1,700 cities, with plans to reach 175 million by end of year.
But even with its 5G leadership, Verizon has yet to fully capitalize on the music streaming opportunity. Its content strategy remains video-centric, with no signs of new audio partnerships on the horizon.
Tips for Streaming Spotify on Verizon
So what‘s a Verizon customer and Spotify user to do? Even without a bundled subscription, there are still ways to enjoy your music playlists on the go without breaking the bank (or running into network issues). Here are some tips I‘ve picked up as a mobile audio power user:
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Offline listening is your best friend. Downloading your favorite albums and playlists to your device over Wi-Fi will save you a ton of mobile data. Just make sure to keep your app updated so you have access to the latest offline features.
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Adjust your streaming quality settings. Spotify offers multiple options for streaming and download quality, from Low (24 kbit/s) to Very High (320 kbit/s). The higher the quality, the more data used. Stick to Normal (96 kbit/s) for a good balance of fidelity and efficiency.
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Use a VPN for secure streaming. If you‘re streaming Spotify on public Wi-Fi networks, consider using a mobile VPN app to encrypt your traffic and protect your privacy. Just note that it may impact audio quality and battery life.
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Take advantage of carrier-agnostic deals. Spotify frequently offers its own promotions for new and returning Premium subscribers, like 3 months for $9.99. Students can also get 50% off Premium with a verified .edu email address.
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Don‘t sleep on the free tier. While Spotify Premium unlocks on-demand playback and offline features, the ad-supported free version is still a great option for casual listening. You just have to deal with shuffled playlists and limited song skips.
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Maximize your battery life. Streaming audio can be a drain on your phone‘s battery, especially over cellular networks. To minimize power consumption, use Wi-Fi when possible, turn off background app refresh, and enable low power mode.
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Share your account with family. For $15.99/month, Spotify‘s Premium Family plan lets you share your subscription with up to 5 other household members. That‘s a lot cheaper than individual plans if you have multiple music lovers under one roof.
The Future of Music Streaming
As a consumer advocate and audio enthusiast, I‘m excited (and a bit concerned) to see how music streaming continues to evolve in the 5G era and beyond. On one hand, faster mobile networks and technologies like Dolby Atmos spatial audio will enable new levels of immersion and interactivity for listeners.
But I also worry about the environmental impact and energy consumption of all this streaming activity. A 2020 study by the Universities of Glasgow and Oslo found that music streaming generated between 200 and 350 million kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 – roughly the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of 40,000 to 70,000 households.
As mobile carriers like Verizon continue to build out their 5G infrastructure and promote unlimited data plans, they have a responsibility to consider the sustainability implications of increased streaming demand. This could include investing in renewable energy for network operations, optimizing content delivery to reduce data usage, and educating consumers on digital carbon footprints.
There‘s also the question of how artists and rights holders will be fairly compensated in an all-you-can-stream model. With Spotify paying an average of just $.0033 per stream, many musicians struggle to make a living wage from recorded music alone. Will bundling subscriptions with wireless plans exacerbate this issue or provide a new revenue opportunity?
As a consumer, the best thing you can do is stay informed about your streaming habits and options. Don‘t be afraid to try out different platforms and plans to find what works best for your needs and budget. And if you really want to support your favorite artists, consider buying their merch, attending their shows, or using a platform like Bandcamp that gives them a larger cut.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, while Verizon may not be offering a free Spotify subscription with its wireless plans anytime soon, that doesn‘t mean you can‘t still enjoy your tunes on America‘s largest mobile network. By understanding the current streaming landscape, optimizing your app settings, and being a savvy consumer, you can rock out without worrying about data overages or buffering delays.
And who knows – maybe Verizon will surprise us with a new music streaming partnership in the future. As an expert consumer advocate, I‘ll be keeping a close eye on any developments and will update this guide accordingly.
In the meantime, happy listening! And feel free to reach out with your own tips, tricks, and experiences streaming Spotify (or other music services) on Verizon. I‘m always eager to learn from my fellow audio enthusiasts.
