AT&T U-verse Hooks Into HBO, Cinemax Online Portals

AT&T is letting U-verse TV customers access HBOGo.com and Cinemax's MAXGo.com online video sites, with more than 1,200 hours of streamed programming combined.

The telco becomes the third affiliate to offer the authenticated HBO and Cinemax online services, along with Verizon FiOS TV and Comcast. Comcast users, however, are able to access the content only via Fancast.com; subscribers who log in via HBOGo.com and MAXGo.com are redirected to the operator's own portal.

U-verse TV residential customers who subscribe to HBO and/or Cinemax will receive unlimited online access to HBO and Cinemax programming for no extra charge -- over any Internet connection in the U.S.

Starting Monday, AT&T customers can access the services using their U-verse TV log-in ID and password at HBOGo.com and MAXGo.com. The online video portals provide access to new titles -- such as episodes of HBO's Boardwalk Empire -- immediately after they premiere on TV. In addition, the websites provide more than four times the content available with HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand.

AT&T said it will soon at provide access to HBO and Cinemax services through its own entertainment portal, U-verse Online. AT&T claims to offer more than 130,000 titles at U-verse Online, with much of the free content provided through Hulu.com.

Separately, AT&T announced Monday that U-verse TV, Internet and voice services are now available in parts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast market, including in parts of Biloxi, D'Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, Moss Point and Ocean Springs. The telco competes with Cable One in the region.