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AT&T is making HBO Max free to millions of wireless, video, and internet customers

AT&T is making HBO Max free to millions of wireless, video, and internet customers

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Other customers can sign up for free trials of various lengths

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AT&T is giving tens of millions of eligible customers who are already using its various internet, mobile, and video plans free versions of HBO Max when it launches on May 27th.

In most cases, that means being a customer on one of AT&T’s more pricey service tiers. That includes customers who are enrolled in AT&T Unlimited Elite’s wireless plan, AT&T Internet 1000’s internet plan, and AT&T TV Now Max, DirecTV Premier, AT&T U-Verse U400, and U450’s video packages. It’s a little confusing; AT&T has a number of cable and video packages, internet plans, and mobile service tiers. AT&T and WarnerMedia have a website dedicated to laying all of the information out for customers wondering if they’re able to receive HBO Max for free.

“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, chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer, said in a press release.

Other AT&T customers who aren’t subscribed to the aforementioned plans will receive free trials of various lengths, the company announced today. For example, those who are on existing AT&T TV packages that aren’t included in the ones listed above will get access to both HBO and HBO Max for three months.

Scale is the name of the game in the colloquial streaming wars

AT&T internet customers who don’t use AT&T Internet 1000 will receive HBO Max for one month for free. Similarly, customers who use AT&T Unlimited Extra, AT&T Unlimited Starter, and AT&T Mobile Share will also receive HBO Max for one month free. After the trial period is over, subscriptions will automatically renew, according to the press release.

Scale is the name of the game in the colloquial streaming wars, and AT&T is using its various distribution lines to help bring as many subscribers as possible to HBO Max. As AT&T and WarnerMedia try to scale its subscriber base, some customers outside of AT&T will also get HBO Max as a free upgrade. Charter customers who currently subscribe to HBO, including those who pay for Charter’s Silver and Gold video packages, can upgrade to HBO Max for free when it launches. HBO Max is also being offered as an add-on via YouTube TV.

HBO Max will also be offered as a free upgrade for people who already subscribe to HBO Now but with a caveat: it’s only free for people who are billed directly through HBO, according to AT&T. The offer is only eligible for customers who subscribe through hbonow.com and are billed by HBO. Customers who subscribe to HBO Now via other services, like Amazon Prime or Apple, are not eligible for the free offering.

People who want to sign up for HBO Max as a standalone streaming service can do so on May 27th for $14.99 a month.