HBO launches in Baltic states on Telia platforms

HBO’s Game of Thrones

HBO is launching on Telia’s platforms and Latvia’s LMT network in the Baltic states.

In Latvia, HBO will be available on Telia-backed telco Lattelcom’s network and on Lattelecom and Telia-backed mobile operator LMT’s network.

The launch will bring content including Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, Westworld and True Detective to Latvian subscribers, with most content distributed no later than 24 hours after its US debit. Series will be subtitled in Latvian, with an audio track in Russian also available for Russian speakers.

Lattelecom’s HBO content will also be features in its Shortcut app, on its recently launched Helio iTV advanced TV services and on its existing internactive TV offering. LMT will make the HBO available via its LMT Home Smart TV service.

Lattelecom chairman Juris Gulbis said that HBO series had previously only been available via linear channels, and that the launch would make them available on-demand immediately after their US release.

In Lithuania and Estonia, HBO will be available exclusively on Telia’s local platforms. In Lithuania, Telia smart TV customers will be able to view over 100 HBO films and series. Residential business chief Haval van Drumpt said that the launch confirmed Telia Lietuva’s plance as the market leader for the legal consumption of premium content in the country.

In Latvia and Lithuania, the service will be available from August 21.

In Estonia, Telia’s local operation will make the service available from August 21 on its Telia TV service, with mobile TV offering Minu.TV to begin streaming content from the service in the first quarter of next year. Telia Eesti content chief Birjo Kiik said that the launch would bring over 1,300 hours of content to customers.