Best Streaming and Cable Deals

Fri, Jan 20, 2023 9:08 PM

With their service, every major wireless carrier now includes streaming subscriptions, but not all of them are worth the admission cost.

These days, only providing reliable wireless coverage and discounts on the new phones isn't enough. Cellphone and cable providers now need to sell a little bit of something extra to get your monthly bill. Today, that means free video service subscriptions.

But how much are these promotions worth in reality? And in order to take advantage of them, what hoops would you need to jump through? To find the best streaming deals from each service, we combed through the fine print of all of the major wireless carriers.

Verizon: Free Hulu, Disney Plus, ESPN+, and Apple Music

While other cellphone providers have one streaming service to sweeten the bargain, you get four from Verizon. You'll get at least two free streaming services, no matter which unlimited plan you select from the carrier. You'll get free Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN+, and Apple Music subscriptions at the top end for as long as you keep your Verizon contract.

Verizon pricing is a little higher than normal, but these streaming packages are far and away from the most generous currently offered by any wireless provider. If you sign up for the Get More package, it adds up to $23/mo for the streaming services included. AT&T's free HBO Max subscription at $15/mo is the second-best streaming value included with a cellphone contract.

AT&T: Free HBO Max

It costs $15/mo for HBO Max. On its own, making it the most costly streaming perk of any wireless plan included. For its wireless service, AT&T is currently offering HBO Max free, but only on its most costly Unlimited Elite plan ($85/mo. for one line).

HBO Max is also included in a number of AT&T plans that are no longer available, alongside the Unlimited Elite package. You can also take advantage of this streaming deal if you've been grandfathered in on one of the following:

• AT&T Unlimited PlusSM

•  AT&T Unlimited Plus EnhancedSM

•  AT&T Unlimited ChoiceSM

•  AT&T Unlimited Choice IISM

•  AT&T Unlimited Choice EnhancedSM

•  AT&T Unlimited &  More℠ Premium

One of the most costly unlimited plans around is the Unlimited Elite plan, but it is also one of the most filled with perks. You will also get HD streaming, 30 GB of mobile hotspot data every month, and Enhanced Mobile Security protection through AT&T, along with HBO Max.

T-Mobile: Free Netflix

Recently, Netflix raised rates to $14/mo. This promotion by T-Mobile is even more of an agreement on its Regular plans. Right now, the carrier with two of its unlimited plans is providing free Netflix. To take advantage of the deal, the only catch is that you'll have to add more than one line.

It costs $120/mo for the Magenta plan. For two lines, and gives you a free subscription to Netflix Basic, which streams in standard definition. You will have to switch to the Magenta Plus package, which costs $140/mo if you want to stream in HD. For two lines and includes a free subscription to Netflix Regular. Compared to only one for Basic, this subscription also lets you watch Netflix on two platforms at once.

T-Mobile will simply give you a URL to connect your Netflix account to your T-Mobile account, if you are already a Netflix user, and begin paying for Netflix directly within one or two billing cycles. The deal is also available to consumers participating in military and senior plans for T-Mobile.

Boost Mobile: Six months free TIDAL

Right now, Boost Mobile includes TIDAL's HiFi plan for six months $20/mo. With all of its monthly plans, on its own. TIDAL may not be the most well-known music streaming service out there, but there is nothing to sneeze at about this campaign. TIDAL specializes in streaming high-fidelity audio, which generally suggests that it sounds a lot better than other streaming platforms.

TIDAL streams songs with a bitrate of 1411 kbps at its highest setting, about four times Spotify and Apple Audio. This translates to a fuller and more immersive tone, particularly if you listen to a nice pair of speakers or headphones. And you don't need to sign up for Boost's most expensive plan to take advantage of it, unlike most of the other deals on this list.

Metro by T-Mobile: Free Amazon Prime

As a part of its wireless plans, Metro by T-Mobile is one of the few prepaid carriers to include free streaming subscriptions. When you sign up for T-Mobile Metro, it's $60/mo. You'll get a free Amazon Prime membership with an unlimited plan, too. That involves Prime Video, with Emmy-winning originals like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fleabag, Amazon's streaming service.

But there are a number of other benefits to a Prime subscription, too. For more than 100 million items on Amazon, you'll get free two-day delivery, access to thousands of Kindle books, and unlimited music streaming through Amazon Music. A subscription to Prime costs $119/year or $13/mo. On your own

• #internet