en
HBO is preparing to go head-to-head with Netflix in Spain.
Lured by Spain’s high rate of broadband-ready consumers and web subscribers who opt out of pay TV, American TV network HBO is preparing to launch a standalone web service in Spain, putting it in direct competition with Netflix, which launched in the country last October…
By the end of 2016, people living in Spain will be able to access the HBO TV streaming service without having to sign up to a pay-TV subscription.
Spanish internet connectivity is one of the best in the world, but Spaniards are generally reluctant to get tied down to long-term pay TV contracts – such as those offered by Sky – preferring instead to source their content when and however they want.
This is what attracted Netflix – which although is subscription-based charges just a small fee – to enter the Spanish market last year. High rates of online piracy in Spain merely confirm the obvious: the Spanish TV audience is demanding, but does not want to follow set scheduling terms laid out by traditional providers.
An HBO internet channel, therefore, would offer Spanish residents the chance to watch some of HBO’s biggest hits, such as Game of Thrones, on demand via a streaming service. It will also mean that HBO retains exclusive broadcasting rights for such shows, meaning that they will no longer be available on other platforms. So the move is something of a double-edged sword for fans of HBO’s output.
For HBO, it sees Spain as a leading country of “cord-cutters” – people who cancel their pay TV subscriptions or avoid such packages altogether.
Vlaams-Nederlands
7 Comments
Leave a Comment
DISCLAIMER
The opinions and comments expressed by contributors to this Blog are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of VIVA Homes Under the Sun Ltd, any of its associated companies, or employees; nor is VIVA to be held responsible or accountable for the accuracy of any of the information supplied.
Ian CloverJanuary 25, 2016 at 6:25 pm
Spain’s takeup of broadboad is among the highest in the world, meaning that HBO assessed where the strength of the markets lay, and identified Spain as a particularly attractive bet. They wouldn’t have done so if everybody nationwide had trouble streaming content at the required volumes. Of course, there will be individual cases where some people have poor connectivity or lax service, but on the whole, people living in Spain have it pretty good.
silversrtarJanuary 24, 2016 at 1:44 pm
Spain has one of the world best internet connectivity, are you sure of that? who writes this nonsense? I have been here 8 years now and still we have no landline or ADSL. For the past 8 years i have been having to use a satellite internet connection which only offers around 2 Mega speed for some 40 to 50€ a month. Only now after 8 year has telefonica / movistar decided it is time to install adsl and landline here. Best internet connectivity in the world I seriously doubt that.
ChrisFebruary 5, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Steen ChristensenJanuary 24, 2016 at 11:56 am
Good News
tony hulbertJanuary 24, 2016 at 10:42 am
Having access to a TV streaming service is great, but you need fast
broadband to make it work . Those of us on the Costa Del Sol struggle to get 9mb download , and at that speed streaming is at best patchy
carolinJanuary 23, 2016 at 2:56 pm
That is a good move by HBO. I have changed my contracts in Britain and watch internet television instead of paying lots of money to one company. As we are moving to Spain later this year this is good to know as we are a big internet user having our family living all over the world.
Have you got something to say?