# HBO Go Will Be Available Without A Cable Subscription In 2015



## trdrjeff (Dec 3, 2007)

HBO is finally getting its online streaming game on, after Chairman and CEO Richard Plepler announced that the broadcaster will launch a standalone streaming service next year.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/10/15/hbo-web-subscription/17299177/


----------



## DrZ (Nov 13, 2006)

I don't think that they said that a full featured "HBO Go" service will be what they are offering. It will likely be something different that doesn't quite have the library or a service that forces one to wait a few days after the original broadcast (also HULU) to watch.


----------



## jerrylove56 (Jun 15, 2008)

Interesting. I remember all the negative reaction to EpixHD's business model of providing its content to streaming services.(Netflix, Amazon, etc.) Now, HBO is trying to do the same, albeit as a stand-alone entity. Wonder how this will play with the fan-boys?


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Never forget that Time Warner, Inc. is the owner of HBO. They also own a 50% interest in The CW which already relies upon streaming in its marketing. Since they own Turner Broadcasting System, Inc which includes CNN, HLN, TNT, TBS, The Legal Talk Network, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, and Turner Sports, the results from this HBO change likely will affect the company's long term plans for their TV channels generally.


----------



## Athlon646464 (Feb 23, 2007)

DrZ said:


> I don't think that they said that a full featured "HBO Go" service will be what they are offering. It will likely be something different that doesn't quite have the library or a service that forces one to wait a few days after the original broadcast (also HULU) to watch.


I agree - perhaps an admin can change the title of this thread....


----------



## camo (Apr 15, 2010)

Sweet, now those that just sub cable, satellite for HBO shows like Game of Thrones can dump all the unwanted garbage thats included. This is another step hopefully in the ala carte direction. Many of the milleniums just watch the pirated versions anyway, maybe now they will sub. Second thought why would they when its free.


----------



## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

jerrylove56 said:


> Interesting. I remember all the negative reaction to EpixHD's business model of providing its content to streaming services.(Netflix, Amazon, etc.) Now, HBO is trying to do the same, albeit as a stand-alone entity. Wonder how this will play with the fan-boys?


It is not fan-boys that will be a problem. It will be the next time talks are up for the channels with the providers. On line access digital rights were a major sticking point in more than one negotiation recently.


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

There's no way you will get as much from this service for less than what HBO costs through a regular provider. With CBS announcement too people will soon see why a la cart would be so much more expensive.


----------



## Delroy E Walleye (Jun 9, 2012)

One local news broadcast worded this story to make it seem as if HBO were "pulling the plug" _entirely_ and would only be available for streaming and no longer on cable or sat. Didn't make much sense to me (and still wouldn't). I do, however, seem to recall that providers had coerced Starz to remove it's streaming content from Netflix a few yrs ago...


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Actually, Starz left Netflix because they wanted to be priced as a separate add on to the regular price, they where pushing tiered plans on Netflix and Netflix said no...


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Analyst: HBO's Streaming Channel Could Cost Up to $18/Month !!!!!!! OUCH!


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I expect $20. They will not undercut their cable providers. I don't know why anyone thinks they would.


----------



## Athlon646464 (Feb 23, 2007)

*Update: **HBO eyes April premiere for its standalone streaming service*

(engadget.com) - Reports have been pretty consistent that HBO will offer a direct to consumer streaming option sometime next year. When that might land and what that might look like, however, have been subject to rampant (and usually unfounded) speculation. Today, at least a little more detail is trickling in. The company is currently planning to launch the service, in some capacity in April alongside the premiere of season 5 of Game of Thrones. Though, that timeline is subject to the usual caveats about plans changing and all that jazz.....

Full Story Here


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

I think the more interesting element of the story is the decision by HBO to dump its internal effort. The Fortune story is full of office intrigue:



> Rather than build the technology internally, the company has struck a deal to use an external technology offering from MLB Advanced, according to sources familiar with the situation. MLB Advanced already provides white-label streaming technology for clients like WWE Network, but HBO will likely be its largest client. It's unclear what this means for the future of HBO Go, the company's existing streaming service for cable subscribers.
> 
> ...Moving HBO's new streaming service to an external platform is a blow to Otto Berkes, the chief technology officer of HBO. Since becoming HBO's CTO in 2012, Berkes has brought in a number of his ex-colleagues from Microsoft and set up a large office in Seattle with 55 engineers, laying off a number of longtime employees in New York. The Seattle office, which is rumored to cost HBO as much as $100 million per year, has been the source of internal squabbling at the company. Insiders accused Berkes of building "a Napoleonic empire" within HBO.


I don't know why at this point anyone would build an internal platform for selling streaming content.

Yes, it will probably cost around the cable "retail" price, more or less the same as I pay now but without having to pay for boxes and ESPN.


----------



## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

inkahauts said:


> I expect $20. They will not undercut their cable providers. I don't know why anyone thinks they would.


I'd expect that too. Right now I'm getting the HBO channels with Verizon FiOS at $10 per month for the next year. That's half the regular price.


----------

