Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) has stopped selling its home phone service called the Hub, which was a tablet-like device that ran over a home’s broadband connection and not only made phone calls, but also served up news from sources, like Time magazine and Hearst publications.
CNet reports the Hub was hampered by costs. It was $200 for the Hub, $80 for cordless handsets, and $35 a month for calls to the U.S. and Canada. The Hub likely didn’t fail for lack of marketing. As soon as it was announced in February, the futuristic device was seen being used in multiple prime-time TV shows. CNet said while the device is no longer being sold, Verizon promises to continue supporting existing Hub customers.
While the service sort of competed with Verizon’s landline business, you can see that they are more willing than ever to launch new products that can increase revenues or increase customer loyalty. That thinking is in line with what Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon Communications’ CEO said recently at a Goldman Sachs investor conference, reports the NYTimes. Seidenberg said Verizon was simply no longer concerned with telephones that are connected with wires, and that “thinking has matured” and that trying to predict when the company would stop losing voice landlines “is like the dog chasing the bus.”

{"source":"https:\/\/gigaom.com\/2009\/09\/30\/419-verizon-wireless-cancels-its-home-phone-service-called-hub\/wijax\/49e8740702c6da9341d50357217fb629","varname":"wijax_0dc9742c8b15522b7fdd1e6b5cb883d2","title_element":"header","title_class":"widget-title","title_before":"%3Cheader%20class%3D%22widget-title%22%3E","title_after":"%3C%2Fheader%3E"}