The quiet onset of crackdowns on users using VPNs to access their services was the first clear sign that US online streaming giant Netflix was gearing up to expand their operations into Australia. Being a publicly traded company, the thought process is clearly that when expanding into a new territory, the subscriber numbers need to be solid – and that certainly wouldn’t be helped by the unusually large amount of money coming from residents of zip code 90210 who have Australian credit cards.
Now – and we need to stress the word apparently – their full plans for the push into Australia have been revealed, including launch date and the all important price point.
Citing unnamed sources, both NewsCorp and Tech Guide have “confirmed” that Netflix will launch in Australia on March 31st, which users can subscribe to through a three-tier pricing structure starting at $9.99 per month.
Netflix, for their part, are remaining tight lipped on any official confirmation.
“We do not comment on rumour or speculation. Details of the local Australian launch have yet to be announced.“
There’s still no word on what content will be on offer to users once the service launches on local shores. But a March launch seems prudent, given that Fairfax and the Nine Network’s streaming service Stan to launch at the end of January with a $10 price tag, and Foxtel’s Presto platform to shift to TV streaming sometime in the first quarter of the year.
Photo: AFP via Getty Images.
via SMH.
