US online entertainment powerhouse Netflix announced what it called significant expansion into Europe on Tuesday, promising viewers in six countries online video by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Already a fixture in parts of northern Europe, the digital television and film streaming star said it would offer monthly subscriptions in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Luxembourg.<\/p>\n
It did not reveal prices, but a report in French daily Le Figaro indicated that Netflix would be in France by mid-September with a subscription plan of less than 10 euros (13 dollars) per month.<\/p>\n
“Upon launch, broadband users in these countries can subscribe to Netflix and instantly watch a curated selection of Hollywood, local and global TV series and movies,” Netflix said in a release.<\/p>\n
Netflix also touted the availability of its growing selection of original programming such as prison comedy-drama “Orange is the New Black” and political thriller “House of Cards.”<\/p>\n
Such shows will be streamed to televisions, tablets, smartphones, video game consoles or computers.<\/p>\n
Since it launched its streaming service in 2007, Netflix has become the world’s leading Internet television network, boasting more than 48 million members in more than 40 countries.<\/p>\n
Netflix says it streams more than a billion hours, collectively, of digital films and television shows to online viewers each month.<\/p>\n
Netflix launched its service in Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in 2012, and moved into the Netherlands the following year.<\/p>\n
Households interested in subscribing to Netflix when it launches in the new batch of European countries were invited to sign up for email alerts at netflix.com.<\/p>\n
In April, Netflix reported that revenue during the first three months of this year breached a billion dollars atop growing membership.<\/p>\n
It bumped up new subscription rates at the start of May, leaving unchanged the amounts paid by existing members.<\/p>\n
Netflix said it added four million new members to finish the quarter and that increasing new monthly subscription prices in Ireland by one euro to 7.99 euros had had a “limited impact.”<\/p>\n
The company says it has greatly improved its online television and film offerings since it introduced streaming plans four years ago.<\/p>\n
Also in April, Netflix announced its first alliances with US cable television service companies to make its popular video streaming service available through their set-top boxes.<\/p>\n
The financial terms of Netflix deals with Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications and RCN Telecom Services were not disclosed.<\/p>\n
The move will let Netflix members access streaming films and television shows using an application on cable service set-top boxes, eliminating the need to rely on other devices such as video game consoles or Roku boxes plugged into televisions.<\/p>\n
Use of the Netflix application will be available to cable subscribers whose service includes TiVo DVR boxes.<\/p>\n
“Now, watching Netflix is as easy as changing the channel,” Atlantic Broadband chief strategy officer David Isenberg said at the time.<\/p>\n
While the combined total of such customers at the cable companies is estimated at less than a million people, the deals signal a Netflix strategy that involves making itself part of traditional viewer habits.<\/p>\n
Netflix has similar deals in place with cable television services in Britain, Denmark, and Sweden.<\/p>\n
Separately, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel announced Netflix had informed his government it plans to move its European headquarters from his country to the Netherlands in 2015.<\/p>\n
The prime minister gave no reason for the company wishing to move from a base it has operated since 2011. Luxembourg is known for its low tax regime, especially for audiovisual services.<\/p>\n
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