Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) is rolling out a streaming movies service in the United Kingdom and Ireland in early 2012, the company said, confirming rumors that have been circulating for months.
The company, which has seen its stock take a beating--it has fallen 60 percent--in recent months as subscribers have dropped the service amid price and service changes, will make the British Isles its third international market. It already has international streaming plays in Canada and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
The company said it would release more details about the launch, including pricing, content deals and device support, later.
Netflix currently charges $7.99 a month in the U.S. for a stand-alone streaming service, and another $7.99 for a DVD by mail service. The DVD service hasn't been offered internationally, and it's not likely to change with the U.K. roll out. Netflix said people in the U.K. and Ireland who are interested in its service could sign up for an email alert about the service on its U.S. website.
In January, Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) acquired LoveFilm, setting up its own push in the U.K. and other parts of Europe.
And, last week, Vdio, a startup backed by one of the co-founders of Skype, announced it, too, would be launching a streaming service in Great Britain, but was spare on the details.
For more:
- see this release
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