Comcast, Verizon Wireless Start Co-Marketing Run

This Thursday 285 Brooklyn-based Cablevision workers will vote in a election for union representation.

Comcast and Verizon Wireless this week will launch a marketing program in Seattle, Washington and Portland Oregon promoting their respective services to the other’s customers, ahead of regulatory approval of the deal.

Under the trial promotions, customers who sign up for a two year contract with Verizon Wireless and Comcast services will be eligible to receive a prepaid Visa card of $100 – $300, depending on which Comcast bundle is selected and the length on contract. The prepaid card is intended to go towards the purchase of a smartphone or tablet. The marketing approach comes after landmark deals announced last month under which Comcast is proposing to sell Advanced Wireless Services spectrum to Verizon Wireless for #2.3 Billion.

Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks also entered deals to sell AWS licenses to the carrier. Under their co-marketing deal, Comcast will promote Verizon Wireless Services through its call centers and the carrier will pitch the MCO’s Xfinity triple play in its retail stores. Comcast and Verizon Wireless expect the marketing program to roll out to other markets this year and into 2013.

It is interesting to note that the Portland market is one of the first, considering Verizon sold their wireline assets to Frontier in that market. Makes you wonder if Frontier ever envisioned Verizon partnering with Frontiers main competition for a bundle wireline-wireless offering? Especially this quickly.

Frontier recently partnered with AT&T for wireless resale. Frontier and Fair Point, the other carriers who recently purchased Verizon wireline assets, may be in for an interesting battle over those former Verizon customers.

Have Your Heard CWA Local 2222