In one of the most anticipated strategic moves in the region, HBO Latin America today announced plans to launch a new digital platform for HBO GO as a paid online service in Latin America and the Caribbean. The company plans to start deploying the service in markets throughout the region, beginning with a launch in Colombia by the end of the year.
By launching HBO GO as a streaming service à la carte, HBO Latin America will offer Premium content from the HBO/MAX channels for the first time in the region to consumers who have a broadband connection alone.
HBO GO is currently available as a complement to the Premium HBO/MAX subscription package through pay TV operators in the region. With the launch of the new platform as an online subscription service, broadband only consumers will be able to have access to HBO GO through distributors offering the service throughout all of Spanish-speaking Latin America, Brazil, and the Caribbean.
The different distribution agreements and the à la carte pricing of the HBO GO subscription will be announced jointly with distributors in each market prior to launch of the service.
“We have seen changes in content consumption habits and are launching this new HBO GO platform as an à la carte service in response to those trends. We are creating options and adding more flexibility to our model and for our distributors, giving consumers the choice to enjoy the Premium content of HBO/MAX in the manner they want,” said Emilio Rubio, CEO of HBO Latin America.
HBO GO includes over 2,500 titles of the best, most exclusive content of any subscription service: more of the best and most recent Hollywood films sooner than any other service; all episodes of all seasons of HBO original series in the United States; all of the series from more than 10 years of HBO Latin America original production; innovative HBO documentaries, films and specials; international and independent films from the MAX channel; and all of the award winning series from MAX.
The launch of the new HBO GO platform will bring new functionality, including: multiple language features, providing a user with the option to choose the language (Spanish, English or Portuguese) of the platform, program audio tracks, and subtitles; a live HBO linear channel; and a redesigned user interface.
For subscribers of pay TV, HBO Latin America plans to continue offering HBO GO free of charge, as an added value to the traditional HBO/MAX subscription, with all the functionality and content of the HBO GO online subscription service.
“The HBO subscriber is a television entertainment enthusiast that develops a relationship of passion and loyalty with the brand, driven by an emotional connection with our content. All of our fans should have access to HBO GO. The idea of launching this service for those who have a broadband connection alone is to ensure that more people who recognize the value of the exclusive offer of HBO/MAX have access to our content and can participate in the social phenomenon our content generates,” said Emilio Rubio.
