HBO has announced that Cablevision will be the first pay-TV provider to offer HBO's new streaming service, HBO Now, to its broadband Internet customers.
It was recently announced that HBO Now would be offered to Apple TV customers for $14.99; however, it is unclear if the same price will be charged to Cablevision customers.
"As New York's premier connectivity company, we are enabling Optimum Online customers to enjoy content in any way they choose to receive it," said Cablevision chief operating officer, Kristin Dolan, in a statement. "We are well-positioned to support HBO NOW and, as technology advances, Cablevision will continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers."
Customers of Apple TV will be able to sign up for HBO Now starting in April, as long as they have an Apple TV device or an iOS device. It was a little unclear when or if the service would be coming to other providers. It is also still unclear if other providers will offer it. However, rumors suggest that the likes of Comcast, Verizon and U-Verse will offer certain HBO packages to loyal customers or when it seems as though a customer is ready to leave that service as an incentive for them to stay.
"We couldn't be more excited that our longtime partner has joined us for the launch of HBO NOW," said Tom Woodbury, President of Global Distribution at HBO. "We believe that HBO NOW will have great appeal to Cablevision's broadband customers."
As consumer focus shifts from cable TV to streaming services, cable TV providers are scrambling to stay ahead, offering streaming packages of their own. Cablevision's offering will certainly be good for customers that are already with Cablevision. However, it is unlikely that many customers will switch specifically to take advantage of HBO Now.
The news comes shortly after Apple's announcement to offer HBO Now to Apple TV customers. This deal was exclusive to "new digital distributors," essentially meaning that customers that use rival devices to Apple TV, such as the Roku and the Google Chromecast, will not be able to sign up to HBO Now until three months after the launch date in April.
Cablevision itself serves around 3 million customers on the New York area. It is, however, rather small compared to the likes of Comcast, which is the largest cable company in the U.S., and serves around 22.4 million video service customers and 22 million broadband customers.
