With the end of another successful season of the already popular Game of Thrones, it has received quite some hype. And “Can I watch HBO live online?” has become a common question across forums.
Well, yes you can find all the episodes online, and the best way to watch Game of Thrones is on HBO Go or HBO Now. But can you watch live TV on HBO Go or HBO Now?
To this HBO have said “New episodes become available at the same time on HBO Now as they premiere on HBO. They may have some delay like on HBO Go but are added as quickly as possible.”
HBO Now not only streams the current content but also has a huge backlog of great series and a wide array of movies. Although the movies keep changing you will never lose access to the HBO Original Series.
HBO Now vs. HBO Go
HBO Now is the over-the-top subscription service operated by the American television network HBO. This service allows subscribers to watch HBO live on PCs, smartphones or tablet devices.
Unlike HBO Go – the streaming service for existing subscribers, HBO Now does not require a television subscription and is available as a standalone service. HBO Go is available free with the paid subscription to stream and watch HBO online on three devices simultaneously.
Popular contents on HBO
Apart from the fantasy drama Game of Thrones, there is an extensive list of originals that HBO holds credit of. The popular ones among them are The Wire, Oz, Six Feet Under and Silicon Valley.
Shows like Sex and the City, Girls and True Detective are equally popular. And each one of them has got a huge fan base around the world.
It also has acquired films from its library through the cable channel’s content partners (such as Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox and its sister company Warner Bros. Pictures).
Signing up for HBO online
Signing up for HBO Go is easy. You need to get the details of your TV provider. Go to the website to watch HBO on a computer or download the app on mobile. Then set up your profile and you are ready-to-go.
Setting up HBO Now is a bit more complicated. As this is a service for non-TV subscribers, it requires a paid subscription to stream the show or other programs. The service is available at $14.99 per month. New customers will receive a 1-month free trial though.
Unfortunately, the service is available only to customers in the United States, and certain U.S. territories. People trying to access USA HBO from Canada are greeted with a message
“To access HBO Go, you must reside within the fifty states of the United States of America. If you live in this area and are still experiencing difficulties, please contact your television provider.”
Unblock HBO in Canada
The only official way to access HBO in Canada is to get a movie package that can range anywhere from $40 – $50. So the users try to access the content available through the site.
VPNs are, by far, the most popular and easy way to use streaming services from different locations. They are a safe way to gain access to the services blocked at your location and setting them up is easy.
When you connect to a VPN server located in the USA, the service provider hides your Canadian IP and provides you with IP address from the USA. One of the top VPN service providers regarding service and quality is ExpressVPN.
Another easy way is to use Smart DNS proxies. Unlike VPNs using a Smart DNS proxy (like Unlocator) results in minimal loss of speed. It only needs to re-route specific information related to your geographical location.
Getting the app on your device
Getting HBO Now up and running on an Android phone is easy. The apk file is available for download from many of the websites. Once loaded, you can sign up for the service. Ensure that you have a VPN or DNS proxy running.
For iPhones and iPads, a few extra steps are required. Go to iTunes on your PC, select “Account” and create a United States region Apple ID.
The email address should not already be linked to an iTunes account. Now, sign into App Store with the newly created ID and HBO Now will be available to download.
