Quadruple Play

In telecommunications, quadruple play is a marketing term combining the triple play service of broadband Internet access, television and telephone with wireless service provisions. This service set is also sometimes humorously referred to as "The Fantastic Four".

"Mobile service provisions" refers in part to the ability of subscribers to purchase mobile phone like services, as is often seen in co-marketing efforts between providers of land-line services. It also reflects an ambition of wireless access to all of the above, including voice, internet, and content/video while on the go and without tethering to the network via cables.

Given advancements in WiMAX and other technologies, the ability to transfer information over a wireless link at combinations of speeds, distances and non line of sight conditions is rapidly improving. It is possible that one could never need to be wired to get any communication service, even at home.

Besides the long awaited broadband convergence, quadruple play is also about the players involved. Many of them, from the largest global service providers to whom we connect today via wires and cables, to the smallest startup service providers, are interested.

In the UK, the merging of NTL and Virgin Mobile has resulted in Virgin Media offering a quadruple play of cable television, broadband internet and home and mobile telephone.