HBO’s streaming service will begin before ‘Game of Thrones’ season 5 premiere

One of the reasons we speculated for a slightly-later premiere date of “Game of Thrones” was so that HBO could launch their a la carte service in time. Now, we know for certain that this will happen.

The premium cable network confirmed today that their service, entitled HBO NOW, is going to be available in early April, in time for the launch of the fantasy epic. This to us is an extremely smart move in an attempt by the network to increase access to viewers without a cable subscription. At launch, the app will be available on all iOS devices and also on PC computers. It costs $14.99 a month, but there will be 30-day free trial periods that will be available to viewers starting in April.

The obvious downside here is the price, given that almost $15 is a month for a service that is not even available yet on Android, and Apple TV at the moment is one of the only ways you can watch your shows on the big screen. This is in comparison to Netflix or Amazon Prime, where you can get enormous libraries of content for a smaller price a month.

On the flip side, you’re getting a ton of premium programming for your buck, including the vast majority of the network’s extensive programming library. You can watch modern shows like “Veep,” or classics like “The Sopranos.” The biggest benefit here is getting to watch your favorite shows without a cable package, which we assume is a move by HBO to try to cut down on the rampant piracy for “Game of Thrones.” We do think it will help to an extent.

What do you think about some of the early details here? Share with a comment, and head over here to get some other news related to “Game of Thrones” right away! Also, sign up now if you’re interested / curious in getting some other updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: HBO.)