HBO Testing Streaming Service

HBO is testing a streaming video service that it says will offer 3 times as much content as current HBO On-Demand services. The new service, called HBO GO <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/hbo-go-the-best-online-video-service-i-cannot-use/?scp=2&sq=HBO&st=cse> is in beta testing already through Comcast and Verizon FiOS TV. HBO GO will only be accessible for HBO's existing 35 million subscribers. People who were hoping that this would be accessible, perhaps on an a la carte basis, for non subscribers will be disappointed.

Speculation is that eventually HBO will consider offering an online-only subscription. However, HBO's existing relationships with cable, broadband and satellite providers will preclude this option. Perhaps this will change if the idea of premium subscriptions through other services like Hulu catch on.