AT&T Will Bundle HBO Max for Free With Priciest TV, Internet, Wireless Plans

Todd Spangler
·3 min read

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AT&T wants to use WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, which launches May 27 in the U.S., as a carrot to get people to subscribe or upgrade to its most expensive TV, wireless and internet tiers.

The telco on Tuesday outlined multiple promotional offers for HBO Max — regularly priced at $15 per month — that will be available to current and new customers when the streamer debuts next month.

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First, as previously announced, those who currently subscribe to HBO through AT&T will automatically have access to HBO Max for no additional charge. (The same goes for HBO Now subs, regardless of which broadband provider they have.)

Next, subscribers of AT&T’s highest-tier wireless, video and internet plans will have HBO Max included, while nearly all other AT&T customers will get at least one month — and up to 12 months — of the service free depending on their plan. The telco’s customers can check if they will have access to HBO Max based on their plan in the MyAT&T app.

“With AT&T as a key distribution partner, we expect HBO Max to achieve an impressive level of scale and reach at launch,” Bob Greenblatt, CEO of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer, said in a statement.

HBO Max will debut May 27 will about 10,000 hours of content, including a handful or originals. In addition to including everything on HBO, the streaming service will include movies, TV shows and other programming from WarnerMedia’s brands including Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, DC, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Looney Tunes. Plus, it will feature content licensed from third parties, including all 10 seasons of “Friends.”

Last fall, WarnerMedia said it projects 75 million-90 million HBO Max subscribers by 2025, including 50 million in the U.S. — touting the ability to leverage AT&T’s consumer footprint. Those figures include the existing HBO subscriber base, which WarnerMedia said was about 34 million in the U.S. in 2019.

Jeff McElfresh, CEO of AT&T Communications, said “the distribution side of the AT&T family is no different than any other potential distributor for HBO Max” and that the telco’s communications group is investing in the bundling offers to retain high-value customers.

“There’s a cost for us to provide the [HBO Max] service,” McElfresh said. “This is a very premium experience, and that’s why we’re bundling it with our more premium rate plans… Customers with higher engagement have a lower churn profile — and that translates into real dollars.”

Here are details on the HBO Max offers available to AT&T customers:

Video

  • Bundled for no extra charge with DirecTV Premier and Lo Maximo; U-Verse U400, U450, and U450 Latino; AT&T TV Now Max packages; and a new AT&T TV Premier package coming soon

  • One year free for new AT&T TV Choice, Xtra, Ultimate, and Óptimo Más customers and new DirecTV Choice, Xtra, Ultimate, Más Ultra or Óptimo Más customers

  • Three months free for existing customers of many other AT&T video packages (excluding lowest-tier plans such as DirecTV Family, UFamily, U-Basic, and AT&T TV Now Plus)

Wireless

  • Bundled for no extra charge with AT&T Unlimited Elite wireless plan (which already included HBO)

  • One month free for new and existing customers on AT&T Unlimited Extra, AT&T Unlimited Starter and AT&T Mobile Share plans

Internet

  • Bundled for no extra charge with the AT&T Internet 1000 plan (with advertised speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second)

  • One month free for other AT&T internet plans

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