Pay-TV provider Dish and OTT services Sling TV said AT&T is making “untenable demands designed specifically to harm customers, particularly those in rural areas, as well as damage competing pay-TV providers” and that at the time of the merger, no guidelines were set in place to ensure AT&T “played fair” for HBO and Cinemax subscribers, regardless of their pay-TV provider.
Dish said AT&T is demanding it pay for a guaranteed number of subscribers, regardless of how many people actually want to subscribe to HBO. The company noted that during the arbitration process, AT&T will have to restore its channels to Dish customers. The company and Sling TV will credit customers on their bill for the time they do not receive either HBO or Cinemax. Dish added that it is also offering customers a free preview of HDNET Movies.
In Variety, a spokesperson for HBO said the blackout came in response to “an inability to conclude a deal”. The spokerperson said until a resolution is found, customers should look for other ways to access HBO.
