AT&T will offer WarnerMedia’s HBO Max free or via promotion to “tens of millions” of its U.S. wireless, video and internet customers
The news follows the announcement earlier Tuesday that the streaming service will launch on May 27.
The new service, which features 10,000 hours of original shows, library titles and the full existing HBO offering, will retail for $15 a month. It had previously lined up distribution deals with Charter and YouTube TV. WarnerMedia has promised Wall Street it will have 75 million to 90 million HBO Max subscribers (50 million U.S.) by 2025.
With AT&T driving customer acquisition, “We expect HBO Max to achieve an impressive level of scale and reach at launch,” said Bob Greenblatt, CEO of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer.
AT&T has planned for years to favor its customer base with HBO Max, but has only now revealed specific details about free and promotional offers.
For starters, current subscribers to HBO through AT&T video services like DirecTV, U-Verse and AT&T TV — roughly 10 million of them — will get access to HBO Max for free. The free access will be included in DirecTV Premier and Lo Maximo; U-Verse U400, U450, and U450 Latino and AT&T TV Now Max packages, as well as a forthcoming AT&T TV Premier package.
New AT&T TV Choice, Xtra or Ultimate, and Óptimo Más package customers and new DirecTV Choice, Xtra, Ultimate or Más Ultra customers can get one year free of HBO Max.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Deadline