DirecTV Cuts HBO Max Free Promo from 12 to 3 Months

By Daniel Frankel
( NextTV )
published

Reduction of one of AT&T's key HBO Max growth drivers is the satellite TV company's biggest move yet since being spun off from the telecom

DirecTV
(Image credit: DirecTV)

Newly spun off pay TV company DirecTV has quietly reduced its free promotional offering for HBO Max from one year to just three months. 

The change, initially spotted by blogger Phil Swann, is the first major move by the satellite TV company since it was spun off by AT&T into a joint venture with private equity company TPG. 

Since HBO Max launched in May 2020, new DirecTV signups have been offered a full year of HBO Max, which is still 100% owned by AT&T, at least until the merger of parent company WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. closes. 

Also read: DirecTV and Dish in Terminal Orbit? Their Satellites Are About to Age Out

AT&T spun off not only DirecTV satellite, but also its legacy U-verse platform, which it no longer sells, and its recently launched AT&T TV streaming service, the latter of which is about to be rebranded as "DirecTV Stream." 

New U-verse TV service is no longer being sold. Notably, however, AT&T seems to be still in process of rebranding AT&T TV into DirecTV Stream. And based on this landing page, it hasn't trimmed its HBO Max promotional period yet. 

Daniel Frankel
Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!