HBO's standalone streaming product HBO Now has been launched and Australians eager to get their HBO fix without waiting can now sign up.
Previously, HBO's streaming platform, HBO Go, was only available to existing cable customers in the US. With pressure from Netflix and Amazon, HBO's decision to launch a standalone streaming product has been widely welcomed. None more so than here in Australia, where many users already use VPN and geo-unblocking services to access US streaming sites.
HBO Now gives users all the latest HBO shows, movies and documentaries, like Game of Thrones, True Detectives and Going Clear, for 14.99 per month. HBO Now is currently available to stream on PCs, iOS devices and the Apple TV. A free 30-day trial is available.
As was the case with Netflix but a few weeks ago, HBO Now is not officially available in Australia, but this does not mean Australians can't get access to the service. Basically, you'll need to sign up and download the HBO Now app, and then also use a geo-unblocking service to access it from Australia.
For the first part, as HBO Now is only available on Apple devices at the moment, you'll need to create a U.S. iTunes account - luckily, this is easy to do if you follow our guide.
Getting a U.S. iTunes account, and getting the HBO Now app, is not too hard, but you'll still need to be able to put funds into your iTunes account in order to pay for the subscription - and the only way to do this is by purchasing U.S. iTunes gift cards. This again isn't too difficult, even if it comes with a price premium due to conversion and handling other fees. You can usually find these on eBay, but the most secure way of purchasing them is from Price USA (disclaimer: we have no relationship whatsoever with Price USA), which is an Australian run company that buys iTunes gift cards from the U.S. and then send them to you locally (here's their Whirlpool thread). Once you purchase the iTunes card, use the redeem link in the iTunes software to add the amount to your account.
Update: With HBO now possibly checking sign-up IP addresses, it's essential that you use a VPN or Smart DNS solution that masks your non-US IP address during the download and sign-up process. Not all geo-unblocking services provide this type of masking for web traffic, so it is recommended that you use one that does support it, for example by signing up to Unblock-Us.
Once you have activated your VPN/smart DNS solution (and double checking to make sure it is working), you can then proceed with downloading and signing up to HBO Now on iTunes.
Nice and easy, and just in time for the new season of Game of Thrones!
