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Free HBO Max: How to Check AT&T Account For Free Subscription

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Select AT&T customers can get HBO Max for free. While AT&T offers many different services and plans, not all AT&T customers are eligible for free HBO Max. However, plenty are, and taking advantage of the offer is as simple as verifying a subscription or plan includes HBO Max.

HBO Max launched on May 27, 2020 and offers subscribers access to all of the content available from HBO, as well as movies and shows pulled from the other brands and franchises owned by AT&T and WarnerMedia. While the service costs exactly the same as the standard HBO subscription, at $14.99 per month, it is still an expensive single subscription. Making the promotion AT&T is running for existing customers, one worth taking advantage of, if you can.

In spite of the service only having recently launched, AT&T has already been active with discounts and promotions. For example, those who opted to pre-order were able to secure the first twelve months at $11.99 per month. In addition, various AT&T customers who are not eligible for the free access are being offered extended free trials, in some cases, up to three months. However, none of those promotions are going to be as appealing as gaining access to the service for free.

AT&T customers eligible for free HBO Max:

  • AT&T TV NOW Max
  • DIRECTV Premium
  • DIRECTV Lo Maximo
  • DIRECTV Choice (for 12 months)
  • DIRECTV Ultimate (for 12 months)
  • Internet 1000
  • Unlimited Elite
  • Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Plus Enhanced
  • Unlimited Choice and Unlimited Choice Enhanced
  • Unlimited &More Premium

Free HBO Max with AT&T live TV plans

AT&T is heavily invested in the live TV market, both at the traditional and streaming levels. Therefore, if you are a subscriber to AT&T TV NOW, DIRECT TV, or AT&T TV, you may be eligible for free HBO Max.

AT&T TV NOW: Free HBO Max

AT&T TV NOW is the company’s no-commitment live TV streaming service. Previously known as DIRECTV NOW, the service offers access to a selection of live TV channels and on-demand content for a set monthly fee. AT&T TV NOW currently offers two main plans: Plus and Max.

Priced at $80 per month, the Max plan is the most expensive although it does also come with free HBO Max and Cinemax. Whether you are an existing AT&T TV NOW Max subscriber or considering switching to AT&T TV NOW, you can take advantage of the free HBO deal.

DIRECTV: Free HBO Max

AT&T also owns DIRECTV and that also means some DIRECTV customers are eligible for free HBO Max as well. DIRECTV eligibility mainly comes down to how expensive the package is, considering AT&T is only giving free HBO Max to its top tier customers.

For example, subscribers to the DIRECTV Premium package, priced at $124.99 per month is the only English plan that comes with HBO Max for free. For customers signed up to a Spanish DIRECTV package, the Lo Maximo plan is the only one with free access to HBO Max.

However, if you happen to be a DIRECTV Choice or Ultimate package customer, then you are likely to be eligible for free HBO Max for the first twelve months.

AT&T TV: Free HBO Max

Besides AT&T TV NOW and DIRECTV, AT&T also offers another option for live TV, AT&T TV. Unlike the NOW version, AT&T TV is more similar to traditional TV packages, although the content is streamed over the internet and doesn’t require cable or satellite.

Overall, there are four main AT&T TV plans with the price starting at $49.99 per month during the first year

AT&T TV current plans:

  • Entertainment
  • Choice
  • Xtra
  • Ultimate

Technically, these plans are not eligible for free HBO. However, AT&T is currently offering HBO Max for free, for the first twelve months, to any subscriber of these AT&T TV plans.

Free HBO with AT&T phone package

AT&T is also a popular phone carrier and the company has extended the free access to HBO Max to many of these wireless cellular customers. However, things are a little more complicated here, due to how often AT&T has rebranded its plans and services.

One of the main takeaways is that if you are not on an unlimited plan then you are unlikely to be eligible for free HBO Max. For unlimited customers, the more expensive the unlimited plan, the higher the change it includes free HBO Max.

New and recent AT&T wireless cellular customers

If you were to sign up to an AT&T mobile plan today (or have recently), then the three main unlimited choices are as follows:

  • Unlimited Starter
  • Unlimited Extra
  • Unlimited Elite

Of the three unlimited plans, Unlimited Elite is the most experience, priced at $50 per month. Unlimited Elite is also the only plan that includes free HBO Max.

Grandfathered AT&T wireless customers

As mentioned, over the years AT&T has rebranded its main plans multiple times and this can make matters a little more confusion. For example, while none of the plans listed below are currently available to sign up for, there are customers who did sign up when they were available and have been able to maintain the same plan. Some of these grandfathered customers are also now eligible for free HBO Max.

If you originally signed up for any of the services below, and are still signed to the same plan, then you are likely to be eligible for free HBO Max:

  • Unlimited Plus
  • Unlimited Plus Enhanced
  • Unlimited Choice
  • Unlimited Choice Enhanced
  • Unlimited &More Premium

Free HBO with AT&T internet plan

If you get your home internet directly from AT&T, then you may be wondering if you are also eligible for free HBO Max? Unlike the mobile plans, determining eligibility here is far simpler as AT&T only currently offers free HBO Max to its Internet 1000 customers.

Subscribers to any other AT&T internet plan are not eligible for free HBO Max as of yet. Although they might be entitled to an extended free trial.

How to check for free HBO Max

If you’re a customer of one of the AT&T services mentioned above then actually checking and activating a free HBO Max offer is not that difficult. The simplest and quickest way is to log into your myAT&T account.

Regardless of whether you are eligible for free HBO Max or an extended free trial, AT&T will highlight either promotion on the account’s overview page. Alternatively, once signed in, AT&T customers can double-check by clicking on the profile icon in the top-right corner, followed by selecting “Alerts” and then “Offers.”

The bottom line

Overall, there are plenty of AT&T customers who are eligible for access to HBO Max, outside of those who have been automatically upgraded from an existing HBO subscription.

Regardless of whether you are an AT&T TV NOW, DIRECTV, AT&T mobile or home internet customer, the main takeaway is that AT&T is generally only offering free HBO Max to its top tier customers.

John Finn

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