About 30% of HBO subscribers will get HBO Max for free, at least for now

Los Angeles Times

It's a bit complicated: "Basically, the easiest way to understand it is like this: Anyone who subscribes to HBO through an AT&T-owned service can receive HBO Max without paying extra," explains Ryan Faughnder. What if you subscribe to HBO through another provider? "That’s to be determined," says Faughnder. "WarnerMedia is currently in talks with other pay-TV distributors, with the goal of extending HBO Max deals to those providers’ customers. Those negotiations have only just started, and there’s no guarantee AT&T’s rivals will be keen on helping a competitor grow its streaming business. However, at Tuesday’s investor presentation, executives said they think rival pay-TV operators will want to work with them because of the quality of the product." Faughnder also explains that HBO Now subscribers will get free access to HBO Max, but only if they're paying HBO directly. The HBO Max deal for HBO Now subscribers who pay through Amazon or Apple has yet to be determined.