One of the only things keeping cable subscribers tied to their providers is the never-ending stream of quality content being pumped out by HBO. Whether it’s Game of Thrones, True Detective or The Leftovers, many of us can’t help but gather around the television on Sunday night for hours on end, but it doesn’t alleviate the pain of that $100+ subscription. That’s why it might be time to take advantage of one of the little known secrets of the cable industry.
Geoffrey Fowler wrote a piece for The Wall Street Journal this Wednesday exposing “the secret code” to keep HBO without paying for the additional 500 channels you never watch. Unfortunately, providers won’t sell access to HBO a la carte, no matter how much we beg and plead for it, but many of the biggest companies are starting to find ways to compromise with consumers.
If you want to get HBO (and HBO GO) without having to resort to borrowing a friend’s password or staring through a neighbor’s window, here are the packages you need to ask for at four of the most prevalent cable providers in the country:
- Comcast: “Internet Plus”
- Time Warner Cable: “Starter TV+HBO and an Internet plan”
- Verizon FiOS: “50/25 Mbps + Local News and Sports + HBO (or Showtime)”
- AT&T U-verse: “HBO Internet Plus”
Fowler, a Comcast subscriber, was able to keep HBO, a few basic channels and his Internet service while switching from a triple-play package to “Internet Plus,” and ended up cutting his monthly bill from $212 to just $75.
We’ve seen very recently how Comcast can react to customers who want to alter their subscriptions, so be strong if you do decide to give it a shot. Don’t take no for an answer — we know they won’t.
