HBO to start cable free streaming service in 2015

As some of you might know there was the HBO app that required a convoluted registration approach through your telecom provider to access shows on the PC and app supporting hardware like the Xbox and PlayStation consoles. People have been saying for a while HBO needed a stand alone streaming service like Netflix, and HBO has finally heeded the call.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2014/10/15/hbo-is-launching-a-stand-alone-streaming-service-in-2015/

Starting sometime in 2015 HBO will have a streaming service much like Netflix. I'm not aware if they've announced any kind of pricing structure for service. But hey, if it's comparable to Netflix and Hulu's pricing then I think it can be quite popular.

I'm especially excited because I think HBO will cause a domino effect with other premium cable channels like Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, Encore. Plus, who knows, maybe we'll finally see digital cable alternatives really take off in bundling services together at a discount price to combat the pricier cable.

I've a feeling though cable providers won't take this lightly, we'll probably see throttled access to services like HBO just like telecoms did for Netflix to twist their arm into paying them for uninterrupted streaming. Hopefully that leads to legal battles that benefit consumers.

My professor talked about this for a bit during class. I really wonder if this will change much for HBO since I heard their shows get pirated heavily all the time. Nonetheless, I hope this does well for them. Knowing how much money they invest in their shows and how much quality they put, they definitely deserve it.

CBS too.

A la carte is coming.

I don't think it's the cost of HBO that alienates a lot of people, I think it's the cost of having cable on top of the cost of the premium movie channels. Hopefully by cutting out the cable costs things like this will cause people to jump ship on cable all together. Especially, if like I said about a potential domino effect, other premium cable services come up with their own streaming alternatives.

Won't work. People's wallets are already hurting. I am NOT paying for more services. Internet, Hulu Plus, Netflix, gamefly, xbox live, psn plus, wwe network......Nope!

I've had HBO for like 8 years.... I never could figure out how to get HBO GO.

I tried twice... and it just straight up denied me.

yeah, I too couldn't get it to work, the Showtime streaming service also took some time to figure out but at least that one worked

@Nengo_Flow: you jus gotta sign in to your sable/satellite provider and then sign to hbo go its pretty simple i got it activated on pc,2 ps3s,ps4, smart tv, tablet and phone

I'd be shocked if it was under $20/month. They make too much money from deals with cable companies to undercut that revenue stream.

Isn't it redundant for every broadcasting company, TV network and/or cable provider to set up their own streaming service? Why not make deals with already existing Internet-streaming service providers like Netflix or Hulu? If this catches on people will be subscribing to multiple services to be able to watch their shows.

On a different note, I'm not a big HBO fan, too much nudity it corrodes the enjoyment.

According to CNET it'd be around 15$/month. Maybe they're just trying to build a substantial customer base for the service to get it up and running then they will gradually increase the price. Or maybe it actually suffices to justify the whole venture.

Those are just rumours so I won't believe anything until HBO themselves confirm. $15/month makes sense if it's based on Amazon Prime's service of just offering select shows from the HBO backlog but for an actual stand alone HBO GO that airs current shows? $15/month is pure fantasy. Unless they completely want to cut away from cable companies (they wouldn't) I don't see it happening. I'd wager closer to $25/month.

If it's priced fair (which it currently isn't) then maybe I'd actually use HBO.

Its alright tho.. I only tune in to HBO for BOXING. I dont watch movies much at all, and im not into any of HBO's original series.

IDK if HBO GO has and archive of Boxing fights (highly doubt it), but I find all the boxing fights from all time periods and from other networks on youtube anyways.

I honestly don't see this taking off as big as it should unless it were more around $10/month. The HBO subscription price varies per cable provider but it's between $15-20/month for non-discount service, so even the cheapest rate offered by cable providers is creating markup for their own profits. I can see it working at a $10/month price for digital streaming. $25/month though would be excessive, not even cable providers charge that much and they're the ones that nickle and dime people to death. At most I don't see it working for anything above $15/month, and I really don't see them charging that much as again that's what cable companies make their patrons pay to get HBO, not what HBO demands, so I'd expect it to be less.

Too much. Needs to be lower.

To be honest, it doesn't even need to take off or become popular. HBO makes too much money from cutting deals with cable providers and that's easily their main source of revenue. Offering HBO GO only for a higher price is a nice way to make some extra cash on the side.

I'm not sure where I read it but I remember reading if HBO cut out their cable stuff they would need to charge something like $70/month for their own subscription service to match what cable providers pay them.

that's pretty ridiculous if true, that'd mean that HBO subscriptions subsidized by everyone else getting cable even if they don't have an HBO subscription... call me skeptical, then again if that were true that's just evil

As others have mentioned, they aren't going to undercut the price point that cable companies provide. Would be shooting themselves in the foot. Also we don't know the scope of what the service would provide.

Plus there's the issue of setting up and running the necessary infrastructure to provide the service without cable companies.

So HBO will have some increased costs coming their way.

The $70/month thing seems really really dubious. Like the numbers seem way way off.

Can you find the article that says that, aljosa?