Remember when AT&T decide
ignoring net neutrality principles by not counting the use of its new HBO Max streaming service against its customers’ data caps? AT&T data customers who use competing streamers, such as Netflix and Disney+, will have that usage counted against their data caps.
Now...
Stankey & WarnerMedia launched HBO Max in late May, and more than six weeks later, it’s still a no-show on Roku or Amazon’s Fire TV. Coming up is NBCUniversal’s July 15 national unveiling of Peacock, and it, too, is unlikely to be on either platform, sources say.
The standoffs, of course, revolve around money. More than that, the distribution disputes are about long-term strategic access to rapidly growing streaming-first audiences, as well as advertising inventory. One media company exec says Roku and Amazon are asking for “egregious” terms, but Fair considering AR&T's blunt move to break net neutrality principles.
the other side, an insider at one of the over-the-top platform providers says they’re simply looking for “a reasonable share” of the value they create for partners — and adds that companies like WarnerMedia and NBCU are coming to the table with an “old TV mindset.”