Just ahead of the season four premiere of Game of Thrones, AT&T has launched U-verse HBO Internet Plus, a new $39 per month service that also bundles in the telco’s 18 Mbps “Max Plus” broadband service, an HD-ready DVR, in-home and out-of-home Wi-Fi, and access to a basic TV lineup that includes local TV stations.
U-verse HBO Internet Plus also supports the HBO Go TV Everywhere service as well as U-verse’s mobile apps. In addition to in-home WiFi, the package also allows customers to connect to AT&T’s national WiFi network for no added charge. Customers can spring for an HD version of the live TV lineup for an extra $10 per month.
As an online-only campaign that’s good through July 5, AT&T is pitching HBO Internet Plus to new residential U-verse customers. Those customers must also pay a $99 installation fee and agree to a 12-month contract that is subject to a $180 early termination fee. Standard rates apply for all services following the promotional period.
A spokeswoman said U-verse HBO Internet Plus has been available since January, but went live on the company’s Web site on Thursday (April 3).
AT&T is the latest pay-TV provider to test the waters with new, slimmed down promotional tiers that tie in HBO. Last fall, Comcast started to test “Internet Plus,” a $40 per month package that provides a 20-25 Mbps broadband service, the MSO’s Streampix subscription multiscreen VOD service, WiFi, and HBO.
Comcast’s test arrived about a month after Time Warner Inc. chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes said he was open to allowing HBO to ride on straight broadband offerings as long as customers also had an existing pay TV connection.
In a separate announcement, AT&T introduced a U-verse Masters App, offered as an interactive channel on channel 616 SD/1616 HD. It will offer a multiview of the live Master’s broadcast, bios of the players, scoring updates and stats, and tournament news and photos.
On the mobile side, U-verse, at uverse.com/masters and via iOS and Android devices, will provide three live video streams, player bios and more.
