via press release:
Netflix To Launch Canadian Service for Streaming Movies and TV Episodes Later This Year
Expansion Beyond U.S. Marks First International Venture for Internet's Leading Movie Subscription Service
LOS GATOS, Calif., July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) , the leading Internet movie subscription service, today announced it will expand into Canada this fall offering unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed instantly to TVs and computers for one low monthly fee. The Canadian launch will mark the first availability of Netflix outside the United States.
Canadian Netflix members will be able to instantly watch a broad array of movies and TV episodes right on their TVs via a range of consumer electronics devices capable of streaming from Netflix, as well as watching on PCs and Macs.
In addition to representing its inaugural international market, Canada will also mark the first streaming-only service promoted by Netflix.
At the time of launch, the Netflix Canadian service will be available in English only, but the company said it expects to add French language capability over time.
Canadians interested in Netflix can go to www.netflix.ca and sign up to receive an email from the company when the service launches in Canada this fall.
About Netflix
With more than 13 million members, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is the world's largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by mail. For $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streamed to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. With Netflix, there are never any due dates or late fees. Members can select from a growing library of titles that can be watched instantly and a vast array of titles on DVD. Among the large and expanding base of U.S. devices that can stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix right to members' TVs are Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii consoles; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, LG and Insignia; Internet TVs from LG, Sony and VIZIO; the Roku digital video player and TiVo digital video recorders, and Apple's iPad tablet. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com/.
Source: Netflix, Inc.
This is very exciting news for me because now I can force Canadian friends to watch stuff that they currently have not watched, using the excuse of not having Netflix. But, I hope it's priced competitively enough for it to be worth it. If they don't have the DVD service as well as streaming, I don't think people who currently have whatever the service is that's available up there (I can't remember what it's called) would be willing to give it up for Netflix. So it has to be priced as an additional service.
I suspect this will be an instant hit with many Canadians, since geo-blocking remains one of the biggest obstacles in attempting to view many hit series now on cable in the US. Unfortunately, cable TV in Canada is being used as a drop off point, by the major networks, for re-runs and numerous failed TV series. Although there are a few exceptions, the few 'new' shows they do pick up are at least 2 to 3 seasons behind what is being aired in the US and are rarely brought up to date in anything resembling a timely manner, if at all.
This is great news, have been waiting so long for Netflix to come up hear. I'm sure right when people find out up here in Canada that we actually have it, should be no problem for Netflix to succeed. I'll be one of the first to sign up.
I swear that some of my friends have it. They must be using something else.
The point is that this decision should be an obvious one.