HBO Now cutting off VPN users, Australians ect..

[PerfectTemplar]

Anyone accessing HBO Now from outside the US that has been caught doing so will be getting their HBO Now accounts terminated. This is a popular platform amongst Australians due to the alternative to watch HBO shows in HD being $60+ a month.

 

 

Australians who use geo-blocking circumvention tools to sneak into the US-only HBO Now video streaming service, to watch popular TV shows such as Game of Thrones, are being told they will soon be cut off.

Multiple messages seen by Fairfax Media show that HBO has been emailing Australians and other people in areas outside of the US saying they will be cut off on April 21.

"It has come to our attention that you may have signed up for and viewed video content on the HBO NOW streaming service from outside of the authorised service area (the United States, including D.C. and certain US territories)," the email says.

 

 

It appears those who have signed up using their own credit cards but setting billing address with a US ZIP code have been the ones caught.

 

 

 

Those who have received the email so far say they either used Getflix, Unlock.us or Unotellyto access HBO Now - services which allow people to bypass geographic restrictions by making it appear as though they are in the US (or elsewhere) even if they are in Australia. Most also used their Australian credit cards so sign up.

 

 

 

Fairfax asked Foxtel, which has the exclusive rights to air season 5 of Game of Thrones in Australia first, if it had asked HBO to take action against HBO Now users outside the US.

"HBO license content on a territory by territory basis," a Foxtel spokesman said. "This action has been taken by them to preserve that model. It is not specific to Australia. They do however regularly communicate with Foxtel about their plans."

Those in Australia who were using HBO Now were paying HBO $US14.99 per month plus the cost of using geo-blocking circumvention tools like Getflix or Unblock.us, which cost about $5 per month, bringing the total to about $20. It allowed them access to high-definition Game of Thrones.

Meanwhile, Foxtel Play is charging Australians $30 per month to access Game of Thrones, but is only offering it in standard-definition.

 

 

This is bad for others outside the US accessing HBO Now also, it seems HBO and their old business model don't really comprehend that the options are piracy or HBO Now in many circumstances. They should stop complaining about piracy if they don't want to let us pay.

[___]

I feel bad for Australians, it seems like they get fucked over all the time with tech related things. My condolences out to you Aussies, I would be pissed to have to go from paying $20/month to $60/month just because I live in a different country.

[Dabombinable]

Anyone accessing HBO Now from outside the US that has been caught doing so will be getting their HBO Now accounts terminated. This is a popular platform amongst Australians due to the alternative to watch HBO shows in HD being $60+ a month.

 

 

It appears those who have signed up using their own credit cards but setting billing address with a US ZIP code have been the ones caught.

 

 

 

 

 

This is bad for others outside the US accessing HBO Now also, it seems HBO and their old business model don't really comprehend that the options are piracy or HBO Now in many circumstances. They should stop complaining about piracy if they don't want to let us pay.

Meh, let the retards loose money from paying customers.

[Kyuubixchidori]

 

This is bad for others outside the US accessing HBO Now also, it seems HBO and their old business model don't really comprehend that the options are piracy or HBO Now in many circumstances. They should stop complaining about piracy if they don't want to let us pay.

The issue is they can get in legal trouble for playing certain shows in areas they are not supposed to. thats why the shows are even different in the first place.

so because they dont want to get sued, your saying they should encourage people to steal a product? 

 

going to get a lot of hate for that comment but its true. its more cost effective to lose a reltively small  customer base then get sued for millions

[mr moose]

I've just been going through this with a friend.  It's complete bullshit.  you can't watch anything unless its old, in worse than SD quality or you pay through the roof for it.  

[Dabombinable]

The issue is they can get in legal trouble for playing certain shows in areas they are not supposed to. thats why the shows are even different in the first place.

so because they dont want to get sued, your saying they should encourage people to steal a product? 

 

going to get a lot of hate for that comment but its true. its more cost effective to lose a reltively small  customer base then get sued for millions

Sued for millions because the content providers are being run by people who have no clue about what they are doing.

[mr moose]

The issue is they can get in legal trouble for playing certain shows in areas they are not supposed to. thats why the shows are even different in the first place.

so because they dont want to get sued, your saying they should encourage people to steal a product? 

 

going to get a lot of hate for that comment but its true. its more cost effective to lose a reltively small  customer base then get sued for millions

 

There is no excuse for making HD content SD nor delaying the release buy months (in some cases years).

 

That's just gimping for the sack of charging more for other services.  What they are doing to content in Australia is no different to TWC and CC wanting to charge for fast lanes.

[pawan1993]

Here we go again... Companies complain about piracy but then they screw over the customers who are willing to pay. They make it so difficult to pay for their services with us having to use VPN's to access it and then they try to ban us altogether. Honestly, it's easier and now it's far more tempting to pirate TV shows. Good luck Foxtel and HBO.

[Cheddle]

Oh well. Guess ill steal it illegally and enjoy a far superior quality and product with Plex and Chrome cast.

If HBO don't want my money then that's fine

[ForsakenLive]

So, you have to get few and old content, lower quality, pay more for it, and there is nothing else you can do.

You know what they can do? Pirate it, 1080p goodness just a couple hours after the official release.

[Trik'Stari]

We REALLY need an international treaty making geo-blocking illegal. It's just straight up fucking stupid, and causes an increase in piracy.

 

Oh well. Guess ill steal it illegally and enjoy a far superior quality and product with Plex and Chrome cast.

If HBO don't want my money then that's fine

 

^basically this.

 

 

Here we go again... Companies complain about piracy but then they screw over the customers who are willing to pay. They make it so difficult to pay for their services with us having to use VPN's to access it and then they try to ban us altogether. Honestly, it's easier and now it's far more tempting to pirate TV shows. Good luck Foxtel and HBO.

 

Their opinion: "yeah, but you aren't paying enough, we need that extra arm and leg because: we're greedy fucking scum suckers"

[PerfectTemplar]

The issue is they can get in legal trouble for playing certain shows in areas they are not supposed to. thats why the shows are even different in the first place.

so because they dont want to get sued, your saying they should encourage people to steal a product? 

 

going to get a lot of hate for that comment but its true. its more cost effective to lose a reltively small  customer base then get sued for millions

Problem is that they don't get threatened with legal action because there are no grounds for it. It isn't illegal to bypass geoblocking in Australia either, in fact our government has encouraged it for years. HBO don't have an excuse, if anyone does it is Netflix because they have to deal with other studios for licenses. HBO are just providing their own content which doesn't put any pressure on them. If Foxtel are complaining then it doesn't really matter because HBO still have the rights to their shows so they can cut Foxtel off and provide us HBONow legitimately instead of they wanted to.

[Kyuubixchidori]

Problem is that they don't get threatened with legal action because there are no grounds for it. It isn't illegal to bypass geoblocking in Australia either, in fact our government has encouraged it for years. HBO don't have an excuse, if anyone does it is Netflix because they have to deal with other studios for licenses. HBO are just providing their own content which doesn't put any pressure on them. If Foxtel are complaining then it doesn't really matter because HBO still have the rights to their shows so they can cut Foxtel off and provide us HBONow legitimately instead of they wanted to.

ah. I was under the impression that HBO didnt show certain things because it was just licensed for regions. 

[Biggerisbetter]

This really sucks and there is not much that can be done. A possible work around is to obtain a gift credit card from the US. 

[Foxxer]

We do the same with Pandora and Netflix. 

What other alternative do we have?

[X1XNobleX1X]

At least Australian's are paying for your service. 

By ripping us off, you're actually increasing piracy. We're not going to pay $60+ a month.

[dalekphalm]

ah. I was under the impression that HBO didnt show certain things because it was just licensed for regions.

That's correct, but its HBO who licenses the content out to others. They decide who they sell to. It's an entirely artificial limitation.

HBO could decide tomorrow to have HBO Now worldwide.

[Dabombinable]

That's correct, but its HBO who licenses the content out to others. They decide who they sell to. It's an entirely artificial limitation.

HBO could decide tomorrow to have HBO Now worldwide.

But they won't, because they are assholes.

[silberdrachi]

 

Its just like every industry, if you dont make it easy for your paying customers to use your product (or get additional benefits from it) then dont be shocked when they turn around and either steal what they want, or go to your rival.

 

I know blah blah blah legal requirements for the rights for the content, but you know its not like they cant argue harder against geo blocking. Just like over time Netflix was able to argue more and more that releases should come out faster to VoD and things like that. Not saying its flipping a switch and the world is better, but i feel like HBO is not even trying. How many years did people beg and beg and beg for HBO to be a stand alone service, and i feel like with all the crap going on with HBO NOW they just shot themselves in the foot.

[dalekphalm]

But they won't, because they are assholes.

I hope you are wrong. I would gladly pay $15 USD a month for HBO Now if I could watch it legally in Canada. I would even still pay as long as I can use a VPN.

If they won't allow that? Well lets just say, if they force me to not pay them, I can get it easier for free.

[SImoHayha]

HBO Boss :  " HEY GUYS !! Some people in Australia are giving us money to watch HBO in HD and gain access to other shows, by tricking our system into thinking they are in the US but they are really in the Australia "  "What should we do ? "

 

HBO Employee one : " Threaten to cancel their account ! "

 

HBO Employee two : Cancel their " US "account and then switch it with an Australian account "

 

HBO Employee three : " Let them keep watching the shows, they are still paying us money I see no issue "

 

HBO Boss : * stares angrily at the third employee *

 

HBO Employee three : * Stares back at his boss with a stoic look on his face*

 

HBO Boss : * Throws the third Employee out the window *

[jecho]

We live in a global age. This is dumb. A paying customer is a paying customer. Region locking content is a bad business strategy.

[mr moose]

If I remember rightly we signed a free trade agreement with the US, I wonder if this is any use in a situation like this?

[Biased Opinion]

I always see this kind of shit and feel good that i don't actually watch anything anyway. The only stuff that i watch is anime and some shit like senki zessho symphogear isnt even available anywhere except via torrents. The only people who subed the thing are commie and i cant into nip. Still going to buy the BDs though.

[ofr057]

I've just been going through this with a friend.  It's complete bullshit.  you can't watch anything unless its old, in worse than SD quality or you pay through the roof for it.  

yup - I got this problem with the F1 now, gotta pay 50 bucks a month or abit more if you want it in HD.

currently I'm just watching it streamed but the lag spikes sorta kill it for live sports