Internet access and bandwidth may be handicaps.
By Sreejith Vallikunnu
The US-based leading Internet television network Netflix has rolled out its service to 130 new countries, including India.
The company made the announcement and the service went live, during a keynote by co-founder and Chief Executive Reed Hastings at CES 2016.
In India, Netflix will be available at Rs. 500 per month for access on 1 SD screen. For Rs. 650 per month one can watch HD content on 2 screens at a time, and Rs. 800 per month will get one 4K content on up to 4 screens simultaneously.
According to the company, Netflix is available on virtually any device that has an Internet connection, including personal computers, tablets, smartphones, Smart TVs and game consoles, and automatically provides the best possible streaming quality based on available bandwidth.
For a fixed monthly price, members around the world will be able to enjoy Netflix original series, including Marvel’s Daredevil and Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Narcos, Sense8, Grace and Frankie, and Marco Polo, as well as a catalog of licensed TV shows and movies, the company said in a statement.
Many titles, including Netflix original series and films, are available in high-definition with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound and some in Ultra HD 4K.
In 2016, the company plans to release 31 new and returning original series, two dozen original feature films and documentaries, a wide range of stand-up comedy specials and 30 original kids series — available at the same time to members everywhere.
“Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global Internet TV network,” said Hastings.
“With this launch, consumers around the world — from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo — will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously — no more waiting. With the help of the Internet, we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device,” he added.
Since Netflix launched its streaming service in 2007, the service has expanded globally, first to Canada, then to Latin America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan to include 60 countries.