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HBO Threatening HBO Now Cancellation For Non U.S. Viewers

With the launch of HBO Now, HBO is now taking a harder stance against users that watch the company's content from outside of the United States. As users in our forums note, customers who now try to dodge geo-blocking restrictions and watch HBO Now content outside of the United States are being informed that they'll have their account terminated. It has proven quite annoying for Canadian, Australian, and other users simply interested in giving HBO money.

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"We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the HBO NOW streaming service is only available to residents of the United States, for use within the United States," the notice informs users. "Any other access is prohibited by our Terms of Use."

The notice proceeds to inform users that unless they call a specifically-designated 1-800 hotline, users will find their accounts cancelled within a week. Users will then need to contact Apple (which has a three month iOS device exclusive) to cancel the service, or they'll continue to be billed for a service they can't watch -- indefinitely.

Users still interested in watching the service outside of the United States can apparently still do so by blocking hardcoded DNS servers in combination with a DNS proxy and a VPN service. Companies selling DNS or VPN services in Australia have been quick to adapt to and capitalize on HBO's efforts.

Netflix is trying to dodge this by quickly expanding their streaming service to 200 countries by the end of the year, but HBO has yet to indicate when they plan to take the new HBO Now service worldwide. Sure, geographic contract restrictions are nothing new, but the Internet (and the popularity of "Game of Thrones") has pretty clearly highlighted how arbitrary and ridiculous such restrictions are when people simply want to give HBO money for a service.
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patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k

Member

continue to be billed

"Users will get billed for what they can't watch" (I changed it a little)
1) use prepaid debit card
2) call bank get new card number

nice try HBO lol.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Re: continue to be billed

Yeah well you would simply mess up your itunes account and Im sure somewhere in the 100 page T&C they will still find a way to collect.

And you guys know geo country restrictions are there in many cases for both the company AND the governments. So HBO US isn't distributed in Canada, etc. Netflix in Canada has merely a subset of what is in the US library, and that is due to licensing and syndication restrictions.

While the internet is "free" for now, governments are not. And hence people need to come up with workarounds for these artificial borders.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena

Premium Member

Re: continue to be billed

Interesting note about Canadian Netflix: They actually have many titles available for streaming that are still DVD-Only on the US database. My SmartDNS allows me to change the Netflix Locale on a whim, and if I don't see it in the US version, changing to Canada or UK often yields results.
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k to elefante72

Member

to elefante72
said by elefante72:

Yeah well you would simply mess up your itunes account and Im sure somewhere in the 100 page T&C they will still find a way to collect.

And you guys know geo country restrictions are there in many cases for both the company AND the governments. So HBO US isn't distributed in Canada, etc. Netflix in Canada has merely a subset of what is in the US library, and that is due to licensing and syndication restrictions.

While the internet is "free" for now, governments are not. And hence people need to come up with workarounds for these artificial borders.

While I am not hbo now subscriber I have through fios for 2 years free and bunch of other premium channels,changing card on iTunes wouldn't be an issue as well especially putting a prepaid card that has 0 balance on it.

Let's say I travel to Europe which I will in June,and HBO will say nah uh you can't watch it.. good thing I will have a backup vpn so I can stream at least through my laptop or phone or anything

buzz_4_20
join:2003-09-20
Dover, NH

4 recommendations

buzz_4_20 to patt2k

Member

to patt2k
Or the more realistic outcome.

Users cancel and return to piracy.

goodluckhbo
@oaklandcc.edu

goodluckhbo to patt2k

Anon

to patt2k
or they'll continue to be billed for a service they can't watch

Yeah, good luck with that. What a bunch of idiots. What, did APPLE just buy out HBO?
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned) to patt2k

Member

to patt2k
quote:
It has proven quite annoying for Canadian, Australian, and other users simply interested in giving HBO money.
Why would anyone want to?? All they show is rubbish!!!!!!!

But anyway: THIS IS THE STUPIDIST BLOODIEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!!

Why do they care who gives them $$$$$$?? (With the way most US companies are: GREEDY,you would think they wouldnt care)

Theres gotta be an underlining agenda here.... Maybe HBO thinks the FEDS will get mad so they are pretending they dont like it?? (Maybe)

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil

Premium Member

Re: continue to be billed

said by 19579823:

quote:
It has proven quite annoying for Canadian, Australian, and other users simply interested in giving HBO money.
Why would anyone want to?? All they show is rubbish!!!!!!!

But anyway: THIS IS THE STUPIDIST BLOODIEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!!

Why do they care who gives them $$$$$$?? (With the way most US companies are: GREEDY,you would think they wouldnt care)

Theres gotta be an underlining agenda here.... Maybe HBO thinks the FEDS will get mad so they are pretending they dont like it?? (Maybe)

Could be HBO doesn't feel like dicking around with international distribution rights. It's not a simple matter of allowing people from the world over having access to your content, but you also have to bargain with the studios that produce your content as well.
Snakeoil

Snakeoil

Premium Member

Is this due to distribution rights?

I recall a few years ago a movie titled "Solomon Kane" wasn't released in the US. All because it failed to find a US distributor. Add to that, aren't DVDs and such still region locked?

So maybe a part of the reason why HBO is fighting Non US viewers is because it wants to keep it's distribution licenses without having to pay more fees.
So it has to fight, until it gets those rights/licenses to distribute the film/shows outside of the US.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

1 recommendation

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: Is this due to distribution rights?

It's also very likely that other companies have already bought the rights for those other countries.
ISurfTooMuch

1 recommendation

ISurfTooMuch

Member

They have to do this

First, I'm not defending the way the entertainment industry does business, but HBO really doesn't have any choice in the matter here. Where they can distribute their product is governed in large part by contracts they've signed with the studios that own the rights to the films HBO airs. If, say, Sony gave HBO distribution rights in the U.S. but not Canada, and Sony gave those rights in Canada to a Canadian company, HBO will almost certainly get sued by Sony and the Canadian company if they don't attempt to prevent people in Canada from buying their service. Even with their own content, they've likely sold distribution rights to companies in other countries, and these companies would be very pissed if HBO then turned around and allowed people in those countries to subscribe.

Look at it this way. If you paid Papa John's so you could gain a franchise to open a Papa John's delivery service in your town, and then you discovered that the Papa John's in the next town over was taking orders from your franchise area and delivering pizzas there, you'd be very pissed. You'd either threaten to sue them for encroaching on your franchise territory, or you'd sue corporate for not putting a stop to it. Now, if the owner of the franchise in the other town didn't know his employees were doing this, he'd likely want to put a stop to it ASAP, so he wouldn't run the risk of having his franchise yanked. This is pretty much the position HBO finds itself in here.

Packeteers
Premium Member
join:2005-06-18
Forest Hills, NY
Asus RT-AC3100
(Software) Asuswrt-Merlin

Packeteers

Premium Member

Re: They have to do this

that logic may be true with netflix, not hbo who produces most of it's own content. this vpn problem has to do with agreements between hbo and foreign cabletv distributors of hbo in that country, not hbo and it's content providers. this is why the whole situation is stupid - all hbo had to do was kick back some of the foreign sub money back to the foreign distributors who lose from his countrymen using a vpn.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: They have to do this

Yes, but HBO has likely sold rights to its own content to other distributers in those countries, and those agreements were likely in place before HBO Now was considered. HBO can't just decide that it's going to sell its service in those countries unless it renegotiates those deals. And the same goes for the licensed films it airs. Not only would it need to sign new contracts with the studios that own the rights, but those studios may have to first renegotiate the contracts they have with other distributers. And, even in countries where HBO is on cable, if its contracts with the cable operators don't allow it to offer streaming, it can't just say, "Screw you, we're going to do it anyway."

The only other option would be for HBO to exclude all content that it can't legally stream right this minute to viewers outside the U.S., and the content it will have to disallow would vary from country to country. At this point, they probably don't want to get into doing that, especially if it means offering a service with very little content available in some places.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena to Packeteers

Premium Member

to Packeteers
said by Packeteers:

that logic may be true with netflix, not hbo who produces most of it's own content. this vpn problem has to do with agreements between hbo and foreign cabletv distributors of hbo in that country, not hbo and it's content providers. this is why the whole situation is stupid - all hbo had to do was kick back some of the foreign sub money back to the foreign distributors who lose from his countrymen using a vpn.

HBO sells it's content to foreign countries where HBO doesn't have their own presence. Some channel will buy the rights to e.g. Game of Thrones and broadcast it there, perhaps maybe a few months after the US airing. If the inhabitants of said country would all be able to subscribe to HBO NOW, the channel in that country might say: Why bother buying the program if half our viewers have already seen it. So THEY will go to HBO and tell them: Wassssupppp, bump those viewers in our country off of your system will you so we can make money to pay off the money we just paid for your program! And thus: HBO has to.
kd6cae
P2p Shouldn't Be A Crime
join:2001-08-27
Bakersfield, CA

1 recommendation

kd6cae

Member

What's the whole point of geographic restrictions anyway!

I've never understood the point of geo restrictions, especially when people in blocked areas are willing to pay the company in question! They're not even trying to pirate content! They're giving the company money, so why still prevent them from viewing content they wish to view! All content should be available worldwide at the same time! And what if for example, I'm overseas on vacation or the like, and I already have a subscription to HBO now, and wish to watch it from my overseas hotel room? There should be no problem with doing so! Without even needing any kind of VPN, I should be allowed to listen to or watch any content I choose, from anywhere I choose! Why is it so important that I not be able to watch BBC iPlayer content here in the U.S, or why is it so important that people in other countries not be able to give HBO money for wanting access to HBO now? For that matter, I don't see why I can't choose which local TV channels I receive when subscribing to satellite TV! If the companies are getting money, who cares where the content watcher or listener is! This regional restrictions crap needs to stop, it makes no sense at all!
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: What's the whole point of geographic restrictions anyway!

Because HBO may not have the right to sell the content in those countries. If they knowingly allow people in those areas to subscribe, they could be sued for violating their contracts with the studios. Remember, HBO doesn't own much of what it airs; it licenses it from other companies.

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

Pirate515

Premium Member

Re: What's the whole point of geographic restrictions anyway!

said by ISurfTooMuch:

Because HBO may not have the right to sell the content in those countries. If they knowingly allow people in those areas to subscribe, they could be sued for violating their contracts with the studios. Remember, HBO doesn't own much of what it airs; it licenses it from other companies.

I think most of the movies that HBO airs are licensed from other studios; however, IMO most if not all of their shows are HBO's original content, meaning HBO is footing the bill for their production. I know it's messier from technological standpoint, but can't HBO restrict only third-party stuff while still allowing their own to be seen everywhere?
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: What's the whole point of geographic restrictions anyway!

They could do it, but it may be more than they want to bite off right now. Also, what does and doesn't get blocked will vary from country to country, depending on whether HBO can legally air it in that country.

And, as I mentioned in another post, even with the content HBO owns, it could have already sold the distribution rights to another company. In countries where HBO doesn't operate a service itself, you can be pretty certain this has happened.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: What's the whole point of geographic restrictions anyway!

Well then they should accept the resulting piracy. Making people wait possibly months is nearly criminal in an on demand world.

I can see VPN and other related services adapting though. And people with friends in the USA wiring them money to pay for it with a US address.

Upside is VPN is legal and piracy is not.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena to kd6cae

Premium Member

to kd6cae
said by kd6cae:

I've never understood the point of geo restrictions, especially when people in blocked areas are willing to pay the company in question! They're not even trying to pirate content! They're giving the company money, so why still prevent them from viewing content they wish to view! All content should be available worldwide at the same time! And what if for example, I'm overseas on vacation or the like, and I already have a subscription to HBO now, and wish to watch it from my overseas hotel room? There should be no problem with doing so! Without even needing any kind of VPN, I should be allowed to listen to or watch any content I choose, from anywhere I choose! Why is it so important that I not be able to watch BBC iPlayer content here in the U.S, or why is it so important that people in other countries not be able to give HBO money for wanting access to HBO now? For that matter, I don't see why I can't choose which local TV channels I receive when subscribing to satellite TV! If the companies are getting money, who cares where the content watcher or listener is! This regional restrictions crap needs to stop, it makes no sense at all!

I agree it needs to stop. But I can give you a pretty compelling reason why it will not. At least not yet.

The sit-com "Friends" became the single most popular sit-com in the world, being sold into syndication to virtually every country in the world, with a few exceptions such as North Korea and Cuba and such. They made 90% of their money not from the first airing in the United States, but from selling it to 150+ countries worldwide. The actors of the series are STILL getting paid for that, simply because it is still shown worldwide.

And it is the same for pretty much every popular show on TV. Series like "24" and "Breaking Bad" get sold to 25, 30 European countries, and the money they get for that is much much more then the what they sold it for inside the USA.

There is BIG money in selling content overseas. And it is the same the other way around. BBC is making tons of money selling Doctor Who and Top Gear world wide (although the latter now has a very uncertain future).

Thane_Bitter
Inquire within
Premium Member
join:2005-01-20

1 recommendation

Thane_Bitter

Premium Member

Great way to increase piracy HBO

I never ceases to amaze me how companies bitch about piracy of their products and then go out of their way to ensure the only legal way to obtain them is to go through extraordinary lengths and punish the consumer for using legitimate means for obtaining the product.

In a word "DUH".
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

1 recommendation

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: Great way to increase piracy HBO

You can thank obsolete business and licensing models for this. The sad thing is they cling to them rather than think globally. I personally think if someone in say Australia has to wait months normally than VPN or Piracy is the right way to handle it if they will not sell it same time globally.

Titus
Mr Gradenko
join:2004-06-26

Titus

Member

I wonder

how many people flip HBO a healthy hearty bird and wait a couple of years to watch their digital swill on Netflix like I do?

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

Re: I wonder

said by Titus:

how many people flip HBO a healthy hearty bird and wait a couple of years to watch their digital swill on Netflix like I do?

If they have a show I want to watch, I subscribe to them for the short time it airs and then cancel the service shortly afterwards. For instance I am not subscribed to HBO right now. But when the show, The Leftovers, airs this Summer. I will subscribe again so I can see it. Then I will cancel HBO at the end of the season. Unless I get a free promo from HBO. Normally I get a half price deal. But even at half price I don't want to pay for HBO unless there is a specific show I want to watch.
Rekrul
join:2007-04-21
Milford, CT

1 recommendation

Rekrul

Member

A message from HBO

Dear HBO Now users,

We have noticed that you are using a VPN service and we're afraid that you may be using that VPN service to access our service from an unauthorized area.

Due to archaic licensing deals, we can only accept your money if you happen to be located in America.

Because of this we will be closing your account.

Please go back to pirating our content for free.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Sincerely
HBO Management

Bredan
@zenmate.com

Bredan

Anon

HBO is mandatory

I guess HBO is mandatory by their partners to restrict people using VPN service but still is not it better to get the money instead of receiving their pirated shows. Get some best VPN reviews from BestVPNProvider.com

Flyonthewall
@teksavvy.com

1 recommendation

Flyonthewall

Anon

Why should they care?

More than likely they don't, it's the local providers bellyaching, in private, to stir up the pot. "Hey, we paid for the rights to show this channel here, you can't let our customers dodge our high prices and get something cheaply. It's unAmerican!!"
GinBoy2
join:2014-03-05
thailand

GinBoy2

Member

I'm One of the Evil Ones

Well I guess I count as one of the evil ones, I live in Thailand and subscribe to many online services, and use a geo masking DNS service. Now I'll say upfront, I don't subscribe to HBO, too pricy for what you get, and I'm not a 'Thrones' fanboy. But for what it's worth, the DNS services have a long history of getting around the blocks. A while ago the Netflix app on Roku's was updated to 'hardwire' a google DNS lookup. Within a day most of the DNS services had a workaround. All of these folks, especially HBO are trying to push water uphill. It's a fruitless battle, which they can't ultimately win, and pisses off the user who eventually moves on to more friendly content providers
dgass
join:2007-09-27
Etobicoke, ON

1 recommendation

dgass

Member

Royalties, distribution rights and GeoLocation restrictions....

Do you think it's fair for actors and writers to get paid for work they already got paid for, over and over, and over again? I don't think it should be that way? e.g. a baker works every morning, sells what he/she produces, then has to work again the next day if they want to continue to earn a living. But actors, writers, software programmers etc., get paid once for the work they do usually very well if not at least fairly. Then continue to be paid for years and years. I understand the need for copyright, but it's kept under it far too long. e.g a song written in the 70's 40+ years ago can't be used without the right's holders permission (getting paid)... I think it's all a loaded system. 10 years I think should be the limit. After that it should be free to use. Now that we have global social media, having exclusive distribution rights in different parts of the world, and then delaying the airing of the show by months+ only pushes people further towards piracy. Spoilers anyone...

Thoughts?

-- puts on fire suit....

PhoenixTJ
@cox.net

PhoenixTJ

Anon

Re: Royalties, distribution rights and GeoLocation restrictions....

said by dgass:

Do you think it's fair for actors and writers to get paid for work they already got paid for, over and over, and over again? I don't think it should be that way? e.g. a baker works every morning, sells what he/she produces, then has to work again the next day if they want to continue to earn a living. But actors, writers, software programmers etc., get paid once for the work they do usually very well if not at least fairly. Then continue to be paid for years and years.

When a baker bakes a loaf of bread, that loaf can be consumed only once by the person eating it. However, when an actor performs in a movie or show, it can be viewed many times over by many people. If a rerun of a show plays on a TV station, that station makes money by selling ad time during the show. Without the show, no ad sales. No ad sales, not TV station. No TV station, you're staring at the fireplace...

TuxRaiderPen2
Make America Great Again
join:2009-09-19

TuxRaiderPen2

Member

Re: Royalties, distribution rights and GeoLocation restrictions....

said by PhoenixTJ :
]
When a baker bakes a loaf of bread, that loaf can be consumed only once by the person eating it. However, when an actor performs in a movie or show, it can be viewed many times over by many people.
SO? movie x is budgeted $100M this covers paying acSTUPIDors etc.... movie x then is released and either recoups that and makes a profit via scammy kooklywood "accounting." YOU GOT PAID. You are done!
said by PhoenixTJ :
]If a rerun of a show plays on a TV station, that station makes money by selling ad time during the show. Without the show, no ad sales.
station/channel pays license fee to air movie x, sells ads to cover said fee... movie STUDIO profits.. No need to pay out from that.. the others have been paid.
said by PhoenixTJ :
]No ad sales, not TV station. No TV station, you're staring at the fireplace...

Well any station, be it OTA or sat living on the ad model, may as well hang it up! I've not seen an ad in 3 years. I am not watching no )(@&$()&!@($*&!(*@&$! ads! Why??? For BBT, the ads are almost 50% of the "air time!" OBSCENE! DVR baby! Anything.. that I choose to put on for background noise gets delayed 20-30 mins and then FF through an ad.. Mostly TCM or the Sirrius 4/5/6/Sinatra/Opera so no *(&@$(&$ ads is the norm for background... everything else comes in for later viewing...

Subscriber based ie: HBO.. Sorry Charlie, nope...

But...but..but.. how does so and so get paid for shows??? Don't know and I DON'T CARE! At least under the current model which is akin to ADULTS getting PAID for a KIDS GAME! Over priced.. At best maybe $1.00/year You are going to have to come up with a price near to the value which is no where close to the current valuation..

NO WAY should LE, military be paid SUB STANDARD wages v. kooklywood or sportscrapletes. Based on that valuation LE should be paid about $100/million/year/EACH. It is time to right this... which is more important in life LE or some actor??? Yeah.. there are some hotties out there... don't mean she[they] is worth more than LEO.. Nope.

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