Dish contends that AT&T is trying to weaken competition as it prepares to roll out a WarnerMedia streaming service, which includes HBO, early next year. HBO also has a stand-alone streaming service, HBO Now. Dish said AT&T is demanding that Dish pay for a guaranteed number of subscribers “regardless of how many consumers actually want to subscribe to HBO.” Premium channels routinely offer bulk rates because the practice gives pay-TV distributors an incentive to heavily market those channels.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 01, 2018 16:45 UTC