Streamlined HBO, Broadband Bundles to Hit More ISPs Monday Jul 28 2014 16:32 EDT Last fall Comcast began tinkering with a new bundle that offered HBO, basic cable, and 25 Mbps broadband. While Comcast offers the bundle initially under promotion for $40-$50 a month (depending on your market), though it doesn't include HD content and the price jumps to a less sexy $70=$80 a month after one year. Not to be outdone, last April AT&T aimed a similar HBO broadband bundle promotion at their own customers -- with similar caveats. HBO now says they're planning on expanding these streamlined TV and broadband bundles at customers through additional, unnamed ISPs. The fear has long been that by offering HBO streaming only they'd cannibalize their existing traditional paying TV base, and insiders note those fears continue: quote: “We’re just trying to figure out how to do this in a way that enhances rather than subtracts from our business, that supports the distribution infrastructure that we need, whether it’s the TV one that goes to your house today, or whether it’s the broadband one,” Bewkes said at the May conference.Plepler is trying to convince HBO’s major pay-TV distributors that marketing the premium network in a more affordable way would benefit cable systems as well, said the people, who asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.
While a standalone streaming HBO product is certain to arrive eventually, it's going to arrive at a glacial pace. |
1 recommendation |
maximize profitsSlowly but surely, ISP are being dragged into the 21st century | |
| | bmccoy join:2013-03-18 Port Orchard, WA |
bmccoy
Member
2014-Jul-28 5:00 pm
Re: maximize profitsWhat? | |
| | Jim_in_VA (banned) join:2004-07-11 Cobbs Creek, VA |
to fiosultimate
why does a ISP care what content is available, they are in business to just deliver the pipe | |
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1 recommendation |
PlusOne
Anon
2014-Jul-28 5:24 pm
Re: maximize profitssaid by Jim_in_VA:why does a ISP care what content is available, they are in business to just deliver the pipe Maybe 20 yrs ago, but not any longer. The ISPs are not in the business of being dumb pipes. That is what SOME misguided individuals wish their business were in. | |
| | | | Jim_in_VA (banned) join:2004-07-11 Cobbs Creek, VA |
Jim_in_VA (banned)
Member
2014-Jul-28 5:31 pm
Re: maximize profitsI have a internet only connection with my cable provider ... they don't give a damn what content I'm streaming, or who it is coming from, as long as I pay the bill ...so yeah, they are a dumb pipe making money | |
| | | | | Snuffboxnice irl Premium Member join:2011-04-15 Milwaukee, WI |
Snuffbox
Premium Member
2014-Jul-28 5:44 pm
Re: maximize profitssaid by Jim_in_VA:I have a internet only connection with my cable provider ... they don't give a damn what content I'm streaming, or who it is coming from, as long as I pay the bill ...so yeah, they are a dumb pipe making money Oh Jim, so naive. | |
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PlusOne
Anon
2014-Jul-28 5:46 pm
Re: maximize profitssaid by Snuffbox:said by Jim_in_VA:I have a internet only connection with my cable provider ... they don't give a damn what content I'm streaming, or who it is coming from, as long as I pay the bill ...so yeah, they are a dumb pipe making money Oh Jim, so naive. +1 | |
| | | | | | | Jim Kirk Premium Member join:2005-12-09 49985 |
Jim Kirk
Premium Member
2014-Jul-28 8:02 pm
Re: maximize profits-2 | |
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PlusOne
Anon
2014-Jul-28 8:28 pm
Re: maximize profitsNo need to post your IQ. We all know what it is. | |
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Re: maximize profitsThey do care, both Comcast and Verizon are using their last mile connections to demand concessions from large content providers that compete with their own offerings. Which IMO is a clear case of anti-competitive behavior that either constitutes monopoly abuse, price fixing, extortion or some combination of such.
Arguing they don't care what comes across the wire is naive at best. Because they very much do care when it competes with their own product offerings.
Take heart Jim, there are a lot of us that believe they should NOT be able to care, including legal restrictions and severe penalties for them taking these actions to prevent competition. | |
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to Jim_in_VA
said by Jim_in_VA:I have a internet only connection with my cable provider ... they don't give a damn what content I'm streaming, or who it is coming from, as long as I pay the bill ...so yeah, they are a dumb pipe making money Jim your ISP rather you get HBO via a cable subscription rather than a stand alone streaming version of which they get NO money. This isn't hard to understand. | |
| | | | | | Jim_in_VA (banned) join:2004-07-11 Cobbs Creek, VA |
Jim_in_VA (banned)
Member
2014-Jul-28 8:03 pm
Re: maximize profitsunderstand. I have Dish for programming and Metrocast for internet. Metrocast just supplies internet access ... nothing else. | |
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Re: maximize profitswe are talking about the other 99% of the US, never even heard of metrocast | |
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to Jim_in_VA
Jim most people get their internet from an ISP that also provides TV service. Those ISPs DO care where you get your HBO from. | |
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to Jim_in_VA
they are in the business to get customers money,there corrected you, u are welcome | |
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| elray join:2000-12-16 Santa Monica, CA |
to fiosultimate
There is nothing wrong with maximizing profits.
"Dragging" a company will only result in higher prices and lower service levels. | |
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Don't hold your breathCompanies like HBO aren't in any hurry to do anything like offering standalone streaming packages, especially if those packages will be less expensive than what they offer now. The reason is simply that they'd essentially be competing against themselves, or, rather, their streaming packages would be competing against their traditional offerings. As long as their current model is working for them, they see no need to change.
And that's the thing with any sort of OTT video service. While we want one, the programmers see little reason to change, and any change is fraught with pitfalls for them, at least in their view. And, believe it or not, there are actually OTT services out there, such as Nimble TV and Sky Angel, but, if you look at their offerings, the channels are, by and large, niche services. For OTT to really take off, someone has to cobble together enough channels to provide a decent slate of programming, offer it at a good price, and, most importantly, promote the hell out of it. Only when that happens will you see a crack in the big programmers' resistance to the concept. | |
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I'll take NoticeWhen you can skip the TV subscription.
Until then it's just a gimmick. | |
| Ark4 join:2002-06-08 Lansing, MI |
Ark4
Member
2014-Jul-29 10:32 am
PriceComcast's 25/5 costs me $75/month already, for nothing else. You're saying I can get free basic cable and HBO, for the same monthly price? Can I skip any yearly-lockin contracts and just have them start giving me HBO without any increase in my bill then? | |
| | Hooper Premium Member join:2001-10-22 Castle Rock, CO |
Hooper
Premium Member
2014-Jul-29 11:57 am
Re: Pricesaid by Ark4:Comcast's 25/5 costs me $75/month already, for nothing else. You're saying I can get free basic cable and HBO, for the same monthly price? Can I skip any yearly-lockin contracts and just have them start giving me HBO without any increase in my bill then? As a new customer I didn't have to sign a contract. 39.99 intro rate, 59.99 year two and 69.99 regular price. | |
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Johnny wad
Anon
2014-Jul-29 2:57 pm
So?I get 50 Meg cable, all HBO and all Starz for 64.99 from Cox. 2 year guaranteed price.
Dunno what's the big deal¿?¿ | |
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