Mediacom Communications, the eighth-biggest MSO in the U.S., officially announced a deal with HBO to let subscribers access the premium programmer's authenticated online video destinations, HBO Go and MAX Go, over the next few weeks.
HBO's online and mobile services are now virtually fully distributed, available via 20 pay TV providers in the U.S., including the top 10: Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, AT&T U-verse TV, Verizon FiOS TV, Cablevision Systems, Bright House Networks, WideOpenWest, Suddenlink Communications, Mediacom, RCN, Massillon Cable, BendBroadband, Grande Communications, HTC Digital Cable, Midcontinent Communications and Blue Ridge Communications.
Mediacom customers who subscribe to HBO and/or Cinemax will have unlimited access to the corresponding online services for no additional charge, on PCs, Macs, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch select Android-based devices, as well as Microsoft's Xbox 360, Samsung Smart TVs and Roku set-tops.
"Our customers live in an increasingly mobile world," Mediacom senior vice president of marketing David McNaughton said in a statement. "Through HBO Go and MAX Go, we are able to give our customers the flexibility to watch their favorite HBO and Cinemax content when they want and where they want it."
But unlike Mediacom, not every affiliate currently allows access to HBO Go on all platforms: The on Xbox, which launched last week, cannot be accessed by customers of Comcast, Time Warner Cable or Bright House Networks, which similarly do not provide access through Roku boxes or Samsung connected TVs. (Comcast has noted that its app for Xbox provides HBO VOD content.) DirecTV disallows access via Roku.
HBO Go offers more than 1,400 titles, including every episode of every season of the HBO's original series. MAX Go provides some 400 titles of Cinemax programming including the Max After Dark adult series.
When the services launch, Mediacom HBO and Cinemax subscribers will be able to go to HBOGo.com and MAXgo.com and sign in with their Mediacom Online user name.
HBO Go is only accessible in the U.S. over a high-speed broadband connection. A minimum connection of 3 Megabits per second is required for HD viewing.
