Verizon Dials Up Revver in Content Deal

Just a day after it announced a similar agreement with competitor YouTube, the nation's second largest cellular provider announced it would also included selected videos from Revver.

It appears at the heart of Verizon Wireless' decision to push forward with more content for VCAST is a desire to lure more of its consumer base of 57 million customers to sign up for the service. After spending billions on its 3G network, it now is looking to recoup that.

That problem has plagued many carriers, both here in the US and overseas -- especially in Europe. After spending exorbitant amounts of money, many carriers found the demand for 3G services is not meeting the investments they put into their networks.

Like the YouTube deal, Revver would select videos to be included in the VCAST version of the service. In turn, Verizon would have final say over the videos that are included, and would check them to ensure they meet the company's editorial guidelines.

Content would come from several of the most popular categories, and would be refreshed twice weekly. Verizon will have exclusive rights to the mobile Revver service for a undisclosed period of time.

Revver would also offer its users the same 50/50 revenue split arrangement that it offers users who post videos to the main web site. Content creators would also have the power to opt in and out of allowing videos to be posted on VCAST.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"With Verizon Wireless, our users have another compelling platform to share their work with millions of people and to get paid for it," Revver CEO and founder Steven Starr said. "Revver and V CAST share the same audience, a new generation of consumers that discover and share content using new technology."

In reaction to Tuesday's YouTube deal, some analysts and pundits said the deal was more about attempting to remake the image of a service many cellular customers have passed over.

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