Netflix announced this morning that it’s ready to share the streaming love with consumers in the UK and Ireland starting in early 2012. Like the company’s other international launches, this expansion doesn’t appear to include the DVD-by-mail service, but for the moment, further details on Netflix’s first excursion across the pond are scarce. The company says pricing, content and supported devices will be announced closer to launch.
Despite recent corporate missteps, Netflix has become so pervasive in the United States that it’s hard for most Americans to imagine that the service isn’t available everywhere around the world. In fact, my neighbors, who are planning a move to Columbia next year, were shocked to learn that, until recently, they wouldn’t have been able to get a Netflix account in their new home. Netflix announced expansion to 43 countries in the Carribean and Latin America (including Columbia) just last month. The company added Canada to its customer footprint back in 2010, and has been streaming video in the US since 2007. Netflix will report Q3 earnings later today, which explains the timing of the European launch announcement. The good news may have been released as a counterbalance to financial results that are likely to reflect market ire over the recent Qwikster debacle.
I often travel to the UK for business. I guess it’s too much to hope for that my US Netflix account would work in the UK while I’m there?
I just closed my US netflix account this AM! I found I was watching more and more movies on HBOGO and letting netflix just take money every month for hardly any use. HBOGO FTW!