back to article Netflix announces UK debut

Netflix is coming to Blighty early in 2012, as anticipated after it was claimed the US video streaming service is coming to continental Europe next year. Netflix today said it will offer "unlimited TV shows and films streaming instantly over the internet to TVs and computers for one low monthly subscription price". Netflix …

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  1. ocifant

    Doomed to fail here

    ...unless ISPs increase their 'acceptable use' bandwidth policies. Which means an improvement in the infrastructure is required.

    1. Tom 38
      Stop

      Use a decent ISP. My ISP couldn't care less how much bandwidth I use.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Tom

        Haha, precisely!

        "My £4.99 broadband service only lets me transfer 50GB a month, waaaaa"

  2. HP Cynic

    Well I shall be on my guard after seeing the horrendous way they gouged their US customers earlier this year.

    Doubling the price and removing half the service?: Double Kill

    1. Shaun 1
      Stop

      RE: Doubling the price and removing half the service?: Double Kill

      They didn't double the price AND remove half the service, they split it into 2 parts with each part costing about the same as the whole thing used to cost. So you either pay double for the same service or pay the same for half the service

  3. Snark
    Thumb Up

    at last...

    I hope they price it right, and with a decent amount of content. Having used Netflix on friends Xbox in the US and loved how easy it was to use and how much content they had (especially for kids) they may just get it right. Of course, likely they won't as the content will be too limited *sigh*. It might be enough to make me switch from lovefilm though, as streaming still feels a token to them (and an excuse to try and get you to buy premium content streaming).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      loverilms streaming is a huge industry joke

      The bar is set with BBC iPlayer in the U.k. If Netflix come in at that level I'll drop loverilm like a stone. lovefilm support are laughable. Even telling them their video streaming is shit leads to a stock reply that it should be dvd quality. The only thing missing is being told to restart the machine. Twats.

  4. David Barr
    Thumb Up

    Two Things

    One apps in TVs/set-top boxes - they need to be prolific and good.

    And the content needs to be extensive too.

    Let's hope they manage it.

  5. Captain Underpants

    *sigh*

    If, like me, you couldn't give a wet mousefart about DVD rentals and just want the streaming setup, Lovefilm is a steaming pile of cack. Which is precisely *why* I'm looking forward to Netflix. Between this and Film4OD we might finally be starting to move towards a range of digital content distribution offering that aren't best described as "pitiful".

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Unhappy

      It had better be an improvement on Lovefilm

      Captain Underpants is right, LoveFilm is rubbish. You pay extra to have streaming in your package but then the only films that are included with this are ancient ones that have been on telly hundreds of times. On top of this, the quality of the streaming is abysmal and kind of defeats the object of having a decent TV.

      Then they have the cheek to offer (a small number of) new releases for streaming and charge a pay-per-view fee to watch them in substandard quality. I can have the blu-ray delivered in two days as part of my package - why would I pay an extra £4?

      I am pissed with LoveFilm. They offered me cashback to join which I have never received so I have paid money I did not bank on having to pay, to find out that the service is naff.

      1. defiler

        Lovefilm Streaming

        XBMC support please? Any time you're ready? It's not like they even have to do anything - just let the XMBC community come up with a finished plug-in...

        Netflix? Dunno - I'm happy enough handling plastinc discs for now, so long as they turn up pretty quickly.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    you can use it already

    You can use the US version of netflix already from anywhere in the world with a vpn account like citizenvpn.com

  7. David Evans

    It'll be different over here

    Netflicks will do bundling deals with ISPs, exempting them from data caps etc. Its the fastest way for them to offer a legitimate Sky Go rival. Biggest issue they'll have is the same as in the US (and the same problem Love Film has); the range of available films leaves a lot to be desired.

    If they offer it in Ireland I'll probably sign up to it (nothing, not even Love Film, here).

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Inst Sky's stranglehold on movies the obstacel

    that is preventing lovefilm from getting a decent range of streaming movies on their platform?

    Sky tie up all the major hollywood studios into multi-year deals that exept other providers from offering subscription VOD services, only Pay per view VOD is allowed.

    How have Netflix got around that?

  9. Paul Boocock (UK)
    Alert

    New Films

    All they have to do, is offer a film for streaming at the same time as the DVD is released and I'm there.

    Lovefilms streaming selection is very poor and contains hardly any new films. I cancelled my subscription, it just wasn't worth it. I hope Netflix is a vast improvement on this but I'm not holding me breath.

  10. Paul Renault

    So, I'm watching old British comedies on Netflix here.

    What would someone in the UK watch on Netflix?

    Reruns of The Beachcombers and The Forest Rangers?

  11. Semaj
    Childcatcher

    2 Questions:

    Will they air US shows shortly after they air over there and in their uncut form?

    Will you have to pay TV licence?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      You only have to pay for a TV license for live broadcasts/streams, watching content online on demand is fine.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    'Without a DVD component, the range of content Netflix can offer will be limited.'

    Um... why?

    1. Tony Smith, Editor, Reg Hardware (Written by Reg staff)

      Re:

      Because DVDs and BDs are currently much, much more readily available than movie and TV streaming licences.

      So there is much more content available to Netflix - or Lovefilm, or anyone else - to send out to subscribers on disc than there is to offer as streams.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Yes, that makes sense. I was thinking about the technical side, didn't really consider the licensing issues. That explains why LOVEFiLM's streaming selection is so crap then.

  13. dylanh
    Facepalm

    As others have pointed out - Sky's the limit

    No UK service (LF or Sony's own VOD service), offer a decent selection of films. The odd blockbuster, and then stuff that is already available from the 3 quid DVD bin at Asda. I remember being profoundly disappointed, and when I tried to find out why I read this is partially due to Sky's exclusive rights to film content. Surely with News International taking a lot of punches over the summer, the time is right to investigate some of the near monopolies Sky has?

    A bit stupid really, given that if you have a good enough connection to stream, have all the kit required to stream to a TV, you are more than likely to know how to go the freetard route. It seems the lessons of the music industry were not learned.

  14. Ryan 7

    I wonder if the upcoming Nintendo 3DS app will come to the UK as well...

    IIIII

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