Verizon looking to launch online TV service: sources

By Jessica Toonkel (Reuters) - The No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier Verizon Communications Inc has been buying streaming rights from television network owners ahead of a nationwide launch of an online TV service, according to people familiar with the matter. Verizon plans to sell a package with dozens of channels this year, the sources told Reuters. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The telecom giants's move will be aimed at tackling the trend of "cord-cutting" — where customers move away from traditional cable TV to streaming services such as Netflix Inc and Amazon's Prime Video. Verizon's rival AT&T Inc has an online streaming television service called DirecTV Now, while U.S. satellite TV provider Dish Network Corp in 2015 launched Sling TV, a streaming service. The news was first reported by Bloomberg. (Additional reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)