Netflix will be rolling out its third international front as early as the first quarter of 2012, according to published reports. The company is rumored to be looking at launching in Spain and in the U.K.; Netflix reveled earlier this month that it would launch in 43 Latin American countries by the fourth quarter and has been streaming video in Canada since September.
Variety, quoting "a few leading European film distributors," said Netflix had informed them of their plans. Netflix declined comment.
Netflix will face an entrenched competitor in Europe that already has begun to pick up its own pace of expansion. Lovefilm, which was bought by Amazon in January, announced last week that it was expanding its U.K. workforce by 20 percent. Lovefilm also said it was looking to expand its European play; currently Lovefilm operates in the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Last week, Netflix raised its prices for a combined streaming video and DVD-by-mail package by 60 percent to $15.98. Some pundits are suggesting that the prices were raised to help pay for the European expansion.
For more:
- see this Variety article
Related articles:
Netflix renews NBCUniversal licensing deal
Netflix's price hike has little downside
Netflix bumps prices nearly 60%, sets sights on streaming only
Netflix's 'anti-competition' charges against telcos a lot of hooey
Netflix content acquisition costs to soar in 2012
Netflix tips hand, slightly, on plans for two new international plays