HBO to begin offering standalone streaming subscriptions in 2015 - report

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited November 2014
Cord cutters will finally be able to get content from premium cable network HBO without an accompanying cable subscription beginning next year, according to a statement made by the network's chief executive at Time Warner's annual investors conference.

HBO Go


The new offering will be a "stand alone, over the top" service that would work with "current partners," CEO Richard Plepler said during the event, as noted by Re/code. That would mark a significant strategic departure for the network, which has previously stood staunchly on the side of cable providers.

Apple is one of HBO's "current partners," and the network has long been rumored as one of Apple's targets for a new Apple TV service, though Plepler offered no additional details. HBO's existing web streaming service, HBO Go --?which requires an accompanying cable subscription --?is available on iOS devices as well as the Apple TV.

Rumors of a streaming-only service from HBO first surfaced in early 2013. At the time, Plepler told Reuters that the network could "evolve" with broadband partners.

Consumers have long clamored for such a streaming option from HBO, as cable bills have steadily crept higher and streaming has become a more viable alternative with wider broadband rollouts. Premium content like that offered by the network has long been cited alongside the availability of live sporting events as one of the primary reasons that potential cord-cutters stick with cable.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 63
    In 4k?
  • Reply 2 of 63
    dws-2dws-2 Posts: 276member
    I don't have cable, but I will get HBO if I can buy it separately. If this turns out to be true, I'll be very excited.
  • Reply 3 of 63
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    What does this mean exactly?
    [quote]"stand alone, over the top" service that would work with "current partners"[/quote]
  • Reply 4 of 63
    And so it begins...
  • Reply 4 of 63
    Brilliant! I actually wrote to HBO a year or so ago, telling them I would gladly pay them for their HBO Go service if they ever separated it from my Dish subscription. $10 directly to HBO beats $22 to Dish!
  • Reply 6 of 63
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member

    Well, happy for the people this will help.

     

    Personally, I need cable for sports and for some other stuff.  But certainly a lot of other people will be glad about this news.

  • Reply 7 of 63
    kpluckkpluck Posts: 500member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Maccaguy View Post



    Brilliant! I actually wrote to HBO a year or so ago, telling them I would gladly pay them for their HBO Go service if they ever separated it from my Dish subscription. $10 directly to HBO beats $22 to Dish!

    While this is great news I would bet such a service from HBO will more like $20-25 a month because  they will still need to give a cut to the cable providers given their current contracts.

     

    And as more cable channels go with a similar strategy, you can bet the ISPs will revisit data caps as a means to recover lost revenue.

     

    -kpluck

  • Reply 8 of 63
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    aaronj wrote: »
    Well, happy for the people this will help.

    Personally, I need cable for sports and for some other stuff.  But certainly a lot of other people will be glad about this news.

    If you're not watching Game of Thrones then you're missing out on some of the best TV ever made.
  • Reply 9 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AaronJ View Post

     

    Well, happy for the people this will help.

     

    Personally, I need cable for sports and for some other stuff.  But certainly a lot of other people will be glad about this news.


    I'm in the same boat as you. I wish I could cut the chord but with all the sports and other programs I watch, it's impossible. 

  • Reply 10 of 63
    rwesrwes Posts: 200member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kpluck View Post

     

    While this is great news I would bet such a service from HBO will more like $20-25 a month because  they will still need to give a cut to the cable providers given their current contracts.

     

    And as more cable channels go with a similar strategy, you can bet the ISPs will revisit data caps as a means to recover lost revenue.

     

    -kpluck


     

    I thought the same on the data front @kpluck, but maybe the cellular carriers with their large LTE coverage will seize the opportunity. I'm a fan of cable-d connections, but if they push hard enough, we'll see (in the US) what I've seen/read about in some other countries; wireless for home internet. Hopefully, if it comes to that, it doesn't stink... :)

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NailedToTheX View Post



    And so it begins...



    So true... the first domino to topple the rest?

  • Reply 11 of 63
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member

    In the end I doubt the average cost of television viewing will go down for cord-cutters. The best case scenario will be if we can pick and choose without having to succumb to packages we do not want in order to get the one channel or show we do want. The day the content creators can publish their shows directly to the iTunes store, or Netflix or similar, the price could conceivably drop, but I have my doubts. 

  • Reply 12 of 63
    So let the new monopolies begin! Oh wait.....
  • Reply 13 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AaronJ View Post

     

    Well, happy for the people this will help.

     

    Personally, I need cable for sports and for some other stuff.  But certainly a lot of other people will be glad about this news.


     

    Baseball is the one thing I miss without cable. MLB has been talking about trying to update its outdated blackout policy, which might mean the ability to watch local games on MLB.TV. I'm hoping that more and more stations move towards "standalone" options for non-cable customers.

     

    There is a large amount of money to be made by offering cord cutters access to the select programming they want. For instance, I wonder how much AMC makes per household from airing Walking Dead exclusively through cable providers vs. how much they make per household selling season passes on iTunes or Amazon. Add to that: How much do they lose out on when frustrated customers with limited options just decide to watch shows illegally/for free because there isn't an affordable, easy-to-access option?

  • Reply 14 of 63
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    briancpa wrote: »
    I wonder how much AMC makes per household from airing Walking Dead exclusively through cable providers vs. how much they make per household selling season passes on iTunes or Amazon. Add to that: How much do they lose out on when frustrated customers with limited options just decide to watch shows illegally/for free because there isn't an affordable, easy-to-access option?

    AMC isn't a premium channel. It's included with the cheapest cable packages, and if you wanted to catch up on the show, the first 5 seasons of the Walking Dead are on Netflix.
  • Reply 15 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    AMC isn't a premium channel. It's included with the cheapest cable packages, and if you wanted to catch up on the show, the first 5 seasons of the Walking Dead are on Netflix.

     

    Never said it was a premium channel, just one that requires a cable subscription to watch. While Netflix has all prior seasons now, I was referring to a season pass for the current season that just starting airing.

  • Reply 16 of 63
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member

    Oh Seven Hells! 

     

    Where do I sign? 

  • Reply 17 of 63
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    briancpa wrote: »
    Never said it was a premium channel, just one that requires a cable subscription to watch. While Netflix has all prior seasons now, I was referring to a season pass for the current season that just starting airing.

    Aren't the current episodes available on iTunes? However with the popularity of the Walking Dead, I do believe AMC would do quite well with a model similar to HBO's. Btw Hell on Wheels is also a really good show.
  • Reply 18 of 63
    aaronj wrote: »
    Well, happy for the people this will help.

    Personally, I need cable for sports and for some other stuff.  But certainly a lot of other people will be glad about this news.

    I'm not sure about football (although at least here, most game are covered by basic cable), but doesn't basketball have its own channel with the NBA league pass? And I believe no cable is needed.

    Other sports im not sure about
  • Reply 19 of 63

    HBO was the last remaining reason I've kept my pay-TV.  I have long said I would be happy to pay for HBOgo if they'd offer it standalone.  I actually like my U-Verse TV, but I can't ignore the savings on the monthly cost.  I suspect I'm not alone.  It's going to be an interesting time ahead for the pay-TV providers.

  • Reply 20 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NailedToTheX View Post



    And so it begins...

     

    Boom!

     

    :D

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