WarnerMedia Announces New Distribution Partners For HBO Max
WarnerMedia, a division of AT&T Inc., announced today a slate of new distribution agreements that will make HBO Max streaming platform, available to customers at launch later this month.
Covering a range of categories and platforms, including cable and broadband operators, gaming consoles and connected TVs, the newest companies to sign on to distribute HBO Max at launch include Altice USA, Cox Communications, Microsoft, National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), Samsung, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Verizon. These companies join AT&T, Apple, Charter, Google, Hulu and YouTube TV in offering HBO Max to their customers at launch.
HBO Max will debut May 27, 2020 with 10,000 hours of curated content and a programming lineup. Anchored by the entire HBO service, the platform will also include a roster of new original series, series and films from across WarnerMedia’s library and key third-party licensed programs and movies. HBO Max will be available from WarnerMedia at $14.99 per month.
Altice USA has signed on to distribute HBO Max, giving all of its existing Optimum and Suddenlink HBO and HBO NOW subscribers access to HBO Max and its programming offering at launch. Consumers will be able to access HBO Max by downloading the app or accessing it on desktop and logging in using their Altice One, Optimum or Suddenlink credentials. Altice’s remaining and new customers will be able to purchase HBO Max directly from the company as part of a cable TV package, as an add-on to a video package, or as a standalone streaming service available to internet-only customers.
Verizon has signed on to distribute HBO Max to customers through its Fios TV and Fios Internet services. All of Verizon’s existing Fios customers who subscribe to HBO or HBO NOW will get immediate access to HBO Max at launch and at no extra cost. HBO Max will be available to these customers in addition to their existing HBO linear or streaming services. Those customers can use their Fios login credentials to access HBO Max either on supported devices through the app or via desktop. Verizon’s remaining and new Fios TV and Fios Internet customers will be able to purchase HBO Max directly from the company, as an add-on to video services or as a standalone streaming service available to internet-only customers.
Cox Communications, the largest private telecom provider in the U.S., will give all of Cox Contour’s existing HBO subscribers access to HBO Max at launch and at no extra cost, in addition to their existing HBO linear and on demand services. Customers will be able to log into the HBO Max app on supported devices or access it on desktop and log in using their Cox account credentials. All remaining and new customers will be able to purchase HBO Max directly from Cox.
HBO Max will be made available at launch to independent cable and broadband operators – such as WOW!, Atlantic Broadband, RCN, Grande Communications & Wave, and MCTV, among others – through a new agreement with NCTC, on behalf of its 750 member companies throughout the U.S. and its territories. Existing HBO customers of the participating NCTC member companies will be given access to HBO Max at launch at no extra cost and new customers will be able to purchase HBO Max directly through their cable or broadband provider.
HBO Max will be available on PlayStation 4 systems at launch. PlayStation users in the U.S. who subscribe to HBO Max will be able to download the HBO Max app via the PlayStation Store and access its full programming slate directly through their consoles for a seamless viewing experience beginning May 27th.
Users of Microsoft’s popular Xbox One gaming consoles in the U.S. who subscribe to HBO Max will be also able to access the platform at launch. The HBO Max app will be available on current Xbox One consoles and via the Microsoft Store on day one.
Finally, HBO Max will now be available through select Samsung TVs. Owners of Samsung smart TVs – models from 2016 through 2020 – will be able to download and purchase HBO Max directly.