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Netflix launches in Australia

US streaming service Netflix is now available from $8.99

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Netflix has confirmed its monthly pricing for Australias, as part of its launch today.

● Single-stream standard definition plan for AU $8.99
● Two-stream high-definition plan for AU $11.99
● Four-stream 4K ultra-high definition “family” plan for AU $14.99

A free, one-month trial of Netflix will be available to all new members.

Exclusive titles including Bloodline and the third season of House of Cards are available from today.

Seasons one and two of Orange is the New Black are also available, with Netflix and Foxtel both to have the third season available in June.

The streaming service will compete with Stan and Presto both of which are available at around $10 a month, including with a free one month trial.

While the content library is said to be around 7000 titles fewer than the US, Netflix has stressed it will be constantly increasing its Australian content.

Netflix members will be able to instantly watch an array of Netflix original series, stand-up comedy specials and documentaries, including the family thriller, Bloodline, starring Ben Mendelsohn, Sissy Spacek and Kyle Chandler; the epic adventure story of Marco Polo; the sharp and witty Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Chelsea Handler: Uganda Be Kidding Me Live; Aussie comedian Jim Jefferies: Bare; DreamWorks Animation’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots; and the Academy Award-nominated documentary Virunga, among others. In the coming months, Netflix members will exclusively enjoy the gritty action drama Marvel’s Daredevil; the dramatic thriller Sense8; the highly-anticipated Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny and comedy series Grace and Frankie.

At launch and beyond, members can enjoy an exciting range of exclusive and licensed content from many of the world’s leading distributors including Warner Bros., BBC, FOX, NBC Universal, Village Roadshow Entertainment, Beyond Distribution, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and The Walt Disney Company.

Netflix provides an unbeatable entertainment experience for great value with many titles available in high-definition, Dolby® Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound and Ultra HD 4K, where available. Members can stream on nearly any Internet-connected screen including smart televisions, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Apple iOS, Windows and Android tablets and smartphones. Data charges may apply for mobile and home broadband connections.

The service also will be available on Fetch TV’s second-generation set-top box. Film and TV fans can also access Netflix on game consoles, including Sony’s PlayStation 3 (PS3™) and PlayStation 4 (PS4™), Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and Nintendo’s Wii U.

Consumers also will be able to purchase Netflix gift cards in denominations of $20, $30 and $50 at participating Australian retailers, including Woolworths, Coles, Big W, EB Games, 7-Eleven, Australia Post and Officeworks.

30 Responses

  1. Netflix will take eyeballs away from FTA, Stan and Presto because their content is better. Stan’s doing the right thing by commissioning homegrown drama but they better get it right, because they won’t get a second chance. If Netflix does start making Aussie drama, the others should be very afraid, because it will be superior.

    Our household hooked up to Netflix via Apple Tv and even my 11 year old son was impressed by the price point and content!

    1. Not sure where people are getting the idea that Netflix content is better than Stan. Especially TV content, Stan is clearly better in quantity and quality. They also have more total hours than Netflix. The movie list isn’t quite as strong on Stan. And you can certainly say the platform isn’t as smooth, but for this many people to be saying the content isn’t as good is just wrong.

      Is everyone just assuming it is better just because it is Netflix?

  2. I gave it a try last night and watched the first episode of “BoJack Horseman”. Everything went smoothly from Android app to Chromecast through my receiver. No lagging, buffering or dropouts. Picture quality was great and sound was Dolby Digital Plus 5.1.

      1. I signed up last night, installed the Android app on my generic Kaiser Baas Smart TV gadget. Watched an episode of Teen Wolf as a test. It just works. SD only, but that may be my device – I need to upgrade. Much smoother than Stan that told me to get lost because my device was rooted. Bring on Daredevil …

  3. My crystal ball tells me the 400 pound gorilla has arrived, and he won’t take prisoners.

    Que all the local ‘providors’ wailing to the minister.

  4. its all about the shows you want to watch and binge on. Presto (Channel 7 + Foxtel) and Stan (Channel 9 + Fairfax) are also good, but its about growth of the content. I already have free to air and foxtel, and the respective channels already have their apps (like TenPlay, 7Plus and iView) but its about the content from US/UK which we don’t have access to and with launching in Australia with Netflix with ‘just’ 1000+ shows and movies, knowing that their library is 7000+ (which they will release once they get over our licencing agreements) come next year, there will be a clear winner. I’m banking Netflix and like TenPlay, it’s just a click on my AppleTV on demand (when will other Australian networks get on Apple TV?!?). If the other networks understood that the future is online TV and they not show it (which is never the actual time on the EPG) I am willing to spend $9 a month for…

  5. Why do we look to an American company to provide what is essentially very easy to provide by an Australian one?
    If we don’t have Netflix and we end up with Stan or Presto, we won’t be worse off. And don’t give me the $1 cheaper argument.
    Having used all three platforms, Netflix is what it is.. a streaming service.
    People just love to conform to brands. It’s fascinating that people in Australia are essentially saying, it’s American, it must be better. All at a time when the US content is at an all time popularity low for this country?..
    Netflix won’t invest in original Australian content which is a debacle for the industry if it is the future. They don’t have any regulations around them and they won’t pay GST.
    I hope people enjoy House of Cards 3?.. because Australians had such a hard time accessing the first two season… so thank god for Netflix. I am glad people relish…

    1. “Netflix won’t invest in original Australian content”.
      You must have a different crystal ball from me. At this stage it looks like Netflix will be investing in new Aus drama. We’ll have to wait to see how much and whether it’s any good.

      “They don’t have any regulations around them and they won’t pay GST.”
      They will need to abide by the same regulations as any other business providing services to Australians, including advertising standards, privacy laws, anti-fraud and money-laundering legislation, etc, etc.

      Businesses do not pay GST unless they are the end user of a product or service that attracts GST. Businesses collect GST from their customers and pass it on to the ATO. If GST were applicable, Netflix would simply do what all other Aus businesses do and add 1/11 to the retail price – they would pay nothing.

      Netflix has more content than Stan or Presto, that’s why…

    2. Couple of things.

      If Netflix make 21 originals PA as they say they’ll be doing by next year, they will win the war hands down. Stan and Presto will then merge, everyone will be happy and profitable, but yes the environment will have changed for good.

      Once Netflix has a 1mil subscribers, they’ll get them with GST and local content requirements.

  6. For all the hype, I was disappointed by the selection of movies. Anything that interested me, I already have on DVD and the rest of the movies you’d find in the weekly section of your local video store for a $1. No recent releases, no classic movies. Lots of movies from the 90s. Looks like I will be sticking to Foxtel.

    1. I found a few semi-recent titles like Malificent and Saving Mrs Banks.
      I’ve been using the U.S. service for a while and I would recommend rating some movies and tv shows you have liked as it will improve your recommendations as will filling out the exhaustive questionare on your profile on the Netflix website.
      Finally I will recommend Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as it’s just a great show!

  7. I don’t see a reason to join Stan or Presto now. Netflix is the giant that we’ve been waiting for. Do these two have anything Netflix doesn’t?

    1. Unfortunately the NBN, or any decent cable internet, isn’t. “The State of the Internet Report from cloud service provider Akamai ranks Australia 44th for average connection speed. Currently only 14% of the country is connected to high-speed internet, which delivers broadband speeds of over 10 Mbps. While the rest of the world surges by with internet speeds that boggle the mind”.
      “Aussies sit on the bottom of the world jealously watching on with download speeds often below 24Mbps, according to a study out of the Government. The survey, commissioned by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, found unsurprisingly that most Australians still have paltry internet download speeds when compared to the rest of the world. 7.1 million Australians are getting less than 24Mbps from the copper network, while 3.7 million others are located in areas where estimated peak speeds are less than…

      1. 7.1 million Australians are getting less than 24Mbps from the copper network, while 3.7 million others are located in areas where estimated peak speeds are less than 9Mbps. 920,000 customers have less than 4.8Mbps available.

        While slow internet sucks, no internet is worse. The survey found that there are still 700,000 premises around the nation that are unable to get any broadband at all.

  8. When Netflix say ‘HD’, do they mean 720p, or do they have 1080p streaming if you have enough bandwidth? (I mean on the middle plan, not the 4K plan).

    1. Yep Netflix have 1080p streaming.

      1080p works best with a 5Mbps connection, so ADSL1 is more than enough.

      Netflix is completely bandwidth adaptive anyway – and merely requires a 512k connection.

      help.netflix.com/en/node/306

  9. Enjoying my first streaming experience.. Netflix is one sweet ride..

    I’ve already watched episode 1 House of Cards S3 using Apple TV app.

    Cant wait to revisit Premier S1 episodes of shows like Lost, Vampire Diaries, Pretty little Liars, Friday Night Lights etc. Great nostalgia

    1. Lost, Vampire Diaries, Pretty little Liars, Friday Night Lights etc. Great nostalgia.
      Must drop into my local library tomorrow and pick up 8 or 10 box sets of all of these, and many more – for free.

      1. Well that’s cool Jason.. I appreciate the little dig but I’m ok with getting these in HD and 5.1 and all the all new Netflix productions ie., Bloodline, House of cards, The returned etc for less than a cup of coffee per week all with a click on my TV..
        No running down to my Library and hauling back all these boxes in SD and taking them back when done..
        Happy free viewing.

  10. So far I really like Netflix. The price and it loads better on my Galaxy tab 3. My stan subscription was up in a couple of days and I just cancelled it.

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