HBO has announced its plans to offer a streaming-only subscription model in 2015. Speaking at the Time Warner Inc. Investor Meeting today, Richard Plepler, chairman and CEO, HBO, announced that the company will offer a stand-alone HBO streaming service in 2015.
Plepler during the meeting addressed the current ten million broadband-only homes, which is projected to grow.
Plepler then stated, “That is a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be left untapped. It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO.” Plepler then added, “So, in 2015, we will launch a stand-alone, over-the-top, HBO service in the United States. We will work with our current partners. And, we will explore models with new partners. All in, there are 80 million homes that do not have HBO and we will use all means at our disposal to go after them.”
HBO will still offer HBO GO, which for free, gives cable and satellit customers full access to all of HBO, so they can watch their favorite series or movie anywhere, anytime.
The question is what effect the move will have on streaming players such as Netflix, which has long said HBO is its main competitor, and pay-TV companies that have held onto subscribers partly because they were they only way to get HBO.
