By Malathi Nayak and Devika Krishna Kumar
(Reuters) - AT&T Inc (NYSE:T), the No. 2 U.S. wireless company, said on Wednesday its users will be able to access the Hulu streaming video service on its website and mobile app starting later this year.
The service will be available to AT&T customers who subscribe to Hulu. In addition to using the Hulu app, users will be able to view Hulu content on AT&T's app and website alongside the wireless company's existing library of videos such as those from video maker Fullscreen.
Fullscreen, one of the biggest networks on YouTube, is majority-owned by Otter Media, a joint venture between AT&T and Peter Chernin's The Chernin Group that creates web-based video content.
As part of efforts to deliver video over the Internet outside of a TV subscription or "over the top," the company has been partnering with content makers such as Hulu and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Prime Video to bring online video to users. The company has been bundling video content with its Internet packages and pay TV packages.
AT&T announced its plans a day after rival Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), which plans to launch a mobile video service this summer, said it would buy AOL Inc to access its mobile video advertising technology.
AT&T is also considering bringing a Hulu app to TV, AT&T said on Wednesday.
AT&T's $49 billion deal to buy satellite TV provider DirecTV is being reviewed by regulators and both companies say they expect to close the deal this quarter. Through the acquisition, the company could bundle phone Internet and TV services and offer new packages.