Netflix to expand to Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and Luxembourg

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With Netflix poised to make its debut in six European countries next week, the expansion of that online streaming giant’s international territory is stirring a mix of anticipation, anxiety and “House of Cards”-style political intrigue.

French headlines warn of a “Tsunami Netflix” that could challenge the customary offerings of dubbed American programs and homegrown shows. German cable competitors are slashing the price of monthly subscriptions. Switzerland’s largest cable operator introduced a new counteroffer and is rushing production of a sitcom about a couple approaching retirement.

The stakes are high. Europe’s unified market and high Internet use have created ripe territory for American technology companies like Netflix, Amazon and Google. But as their power and reach grow, companies like Netflix are also being assailed by European politicians and business rivals over issues like taxes and competition.

The fiercest resistance to the California-based company, which has a market capitalization of almost $29 billion, is emerging in France, where, so far, telecommunications operators like Orange are refusing to carry the service on popular television-top devices that enable Internet streaming because they have not settled on financial terms. Netflix is nonetheless available on tablets, computers and smartphones.

The local film producers association is complaining that Netflix is engaging in “fiscal dumping” by establishing its European base in Amsterdam and thus avoiding the French audiovisual taxes that national television channels and rival streaming services pay to subsidize French films.

Last spring, top French politicians joined the fray, with the culture minister calling Netflix a “stowaway” for entering the local market with a headquarters in a different country. In August, those voices vanished in a government shake-up, clearing the path for Netflix to mount a relentless charm offensive in a series of news releases and interviews with French reporters that the company flew to California.

Netflix has been gradually extending its reach in waves in Canada, Latin America, Britain and the Scandinavian countries, and it is now available in 40 nations. Analysts are predicting that Netflix could add four to six million users in the six countries where it starts operating next week: France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg.

To demonstrate its investment in France, Netflix announced this week that it had purchased streaming rights to “Wakfu,” an animated French television series mingling manga and Marvel comic-book styles and featuring an orphan with supernatural powers.

Netflix is also financing the Mediterranean answer to its original series “House of Cards,” the critically acclaimed political drama set in Washington. “Marseille,” an eight-episode French-language drama about power and corruption, will be filmed in that southern port city and depict shady politicians, drug lords and others battling for control, according to its creators.

“It’s a very Shakespearean story, and I think it can also be very universal,” said Pascal Breton, who heads Federation Entertainment and is producing the series.

This week Mr. Breton himself became engulfed in political combat related to Netflix’s arrival when the French magazine L’Express reported that Fleur Pellerin, the new minister of culture, vacationed at his Corsican villa this summer. In her first week as culture minister, she then shifted the government’s stance on Netflix in a radio interview by calling it a “rational economic choice” to seek tax advantages in other countries. As the Corsican vacation report spread, the culture minister’s staff scoffed at the news, calling it “rumors” and “libel.” But Mr. Breton said the debate simply reflected apprehension about Netflix’s advance.

“I am a very good friend of Fleur Pellerin,” he said, adding that she was not yet the culture minister when she stayed at his home. (Previously, she was a secretary for commerce abroad, promoting tourism.) “Some aspects of this story are really rubbish. It’s absolutely nothing that I had dinner or spent the weekend with a friend..”

The new subscriptions will cost about 8 euros, or about $10.30, a month. To expand the new audience, Netflix aims to develop serial dramas, comedies and documentaries that appeal across borders, languages and interests. The strategy reflects a gradual shift beyond its main activity, buying rights to existing titles.

“Our technology can quickly learn and make recommendations, based upon each individual’s tastes,” said Joris Evers, a Netflix spokesman in Amsterdam. “We’re at a scale where we can economically create original content that debuts exclusively on Netflix. By personalizing promotion of the right title to the right member, we have a large opportunity to promote our original titles.”

The international Netflix menu favors tales of intrigue. In Britain, it is backing “The Crown,” a series on Queen Elizabeth’s reign with an emphasis on political machinations. In Mexico, it is funding a Spanish-language comedy series about a family feud among soccer club heirs.

French animators are also counting on Netflix for new opportunities.

“The business model of animation is honestly only possible if you are capable of being broadcast in many countries, because animation is quite expensive,” said Olivier Comte, the managing director of Ankama, which is based in northern France and negotiated the deal for Netflix to stream its “Wakfu” series. ”

But some producers worry that the country’s long tradition of art films will wither in a competitive market catering to mass tastes. The Association of Cinema Producers in France contacted Netflix executives to suggest discussions, but the calls were never returned, according to Frédéric Goldsmith, the head of the association, who said members were stunned by the sum Netflix offered for rights to some French films — as low as 1,500 euros (less than $2,000), compared with the standard 10,000 euros ($13,000).

Netflix’s chief rival, Canal+, is battling back with television ads for its counteroffer for streaming. It enlisted the actor John Malkovich as a pitchman: Wearing vampire teeth, he declares in American-accented French, “Since I am immortal, l signed up with Canalplay to watch thousands and thousands of films.”

Manuel Alduy, head of Canal OTT, a new division of the company that includes the Canalplay streaming service, argues that the Netflix catalog is “not really adjusted to local taste.” He characterized Netflix’s plans for the “Marseille” series as a “communication trick.” For Mr. Breton of Federation Entertainment, however, Netflix offers an opportunity to shake up the competition and create fresh programming.

“French drama is still a bit like old-fashioned politics — a bit slow, people talk too much, and quite well written,” he said. “It doesn’t have the same tension as foreign shows, and we have to catch up with that. That’s what Netflix is offering us.”
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http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/business/media/europeans-bracing-for-netflix.html?_r=0
 
Netflix is now available in Germany.

Prices:

7.99 € for SD streaming on one device
8.99 € for HD streaming on a maximum of two devices
11.99 € for UHD streaming on up to four devices

Most of the movies and TV shows are available in German and English. Subtitles are available as well.
 
Same for France. I started my trial month, it's ok for now but I'm not too thrilled.

The good :
- it works ! correct stream quality, no stuttering nor pixellation
- ability to change dubs, not all VOD services offer it
- a decent choice of content I haven't seen yet

The bad :
- lack of old content. I expected to find a big library of oldies, since recent shows/movies aren't possible, but there's barely anything older than 15 years.
- the xbox one app doesn't work when snapped (or it does for a few seconds, then the image freezes).

I think I'll watch what I can during a month, maybe two, and then look into other offers. I can't see myself using it for long.
Also journalists investigated their office in Luxembourg, and it's laughable : there's officially only one person full-time there, and the whole thing is just a table and two chairs. If that person does really exist, he must have the most boring job ever.
 
Alx said:
Same for France. I started my trial month, it's ok for now but I'm not too thrilled.

The good :
- it works ! correct stream quality, no stuttering nor pixellation
- ability to change dubs, not all VOD services offer it
- a decent choice of content I haven't seen yet

The bad :
- lack of old content. I expected to find a big library of oldies, since recent shows/movies aren't possible, but there's barely anything older than 15 years.
- the xbox one app doesn't work when snapped (or it does for a few seconds, then the image freezes).

I think I'll watch what I can during a month, maybe two, and then look into other offers. I can't see myself using it for long.
Also journalists investigated their office in Luxembourg, and it's laughable : there's officially only one person full-time there, and the whole thing is just a table and two chairs. If that person does really exist, he must have the most boring job ever.
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I think one of the real values of Netflix is being able to access all of the different Netflix libraries from different countries (US, Canada, etc) by using a VPN service. It really opens up the content quite a bit.
 
Fortinbras said:
Netflix is now available in Germany.

Prices:

7.99 € for SD streaming on one device
8.99 € for HD streaming on a maximum of two devices
11.99 € for UHD streaming on up to four devices

Most of the movies and TV shows are available in German and English. Subtitles are available as well.
Click to expand...

I wonder how I will be billed in the future. Made my account on the US site a while back. Can access the German site just fine. I don't even remember if I put a US adress in there when registering...
 
After discovering vpn+netlfix, I am impressed how people from countries without netflix don't have like brazilian netflix accounts (or any account that is probably cheaper) and use it for every country =P
 
Silly question incoming: is there a way to buffer these Netflix streams? We use an appleTV device at home through US VPN, it works more or less but if somebody else is using the net even just for browsing everything falls apart (2Mbit ultra high bandwith ftl).

It'd make the experience so much better, turn the device on, let it buffer for 10-15 minutes and enjoy the movie/show in good quality without any interruptions.
 
Sidewinder said:
Silly question incoming: is there a way to buffer these Netflix streams? We use an appleTV device at home through US VPN, it works more or less but if somebody else is using the net even just for browsing everything falls apart (2Mbit ultra high bandwith ftl).

It'd make the experience so much better, turn the device on, let it buffer for 10-15 minutes and enjoy the movie/show in good quality without any interruptions.
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It'll buffer some, but not like you intend it to, minutes ahead at most.

At 2mbit you're just not gonna get good HQ streaming, ever, especially if you're only getting a fraction of it, SuperHD streaming is about 5 or 6mbit worth of feed IIRC.
 
RBH said:
I think one of the real values of Netflix is being able to access all of the different Netflix libraries from different countries (US, Canada, etc) by using a VPN service. It really opens up the content quite a bit.
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Yeah but that's cheating, I'd rather follow the rules. I can't complain about Netflix having a fake central office in Luxemburg and then faking my location to circumvent the national laws on cultural content. :)
 
Aiii said:
It'll buffer some, but not like you intend it to, minutes ahead at most.

At 2mbit you're just not gonna get good HQ streaming, ever, especially if you're only getting a fraction of it, SuperHD streaming is about 5 or 6mbit worth of feed IIRC.
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That's what I thought, any reasons why they won't let us buffer the whole thing before watching it, so that customers with shitty connections could think about giving them money too?

It's not like it changes anything on their side whether somebody is streaming or buffering the whole thing...is it because it'd make piracy easier?
 
Sidewinder said:
That's what I thought, any reasons why they won't let us buffer the whole thing before watching it, so that customers with shitty connections could think about giving them money too?

It's not like it changes anything on their side whether somebody is streaming or buffering the whole thing...is it because it'd make piracy easier?
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DRM purposes.
 
Ogni-XR21 said:
I wonder how I will be billed in the future. Made my account on the US site a while back. Can access the German site just fine. I don't even remember if I put a US adress in there when registering...
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I don't even remember Netflix asking for a billing address. I think I only entered the credit card number and the expiration date of my German Visa card.

Penny Dreadful is available here. Nice. I hope it's good. I've already seen Fargo.
 
I just checked out Netflix Germany, Penny Dreadful and the Fargo series are on there, sweet. They also have Doctor Who seasons 1 to 7, I've already seen it but with the german dub I'll get my sister to watch it.

I'll watch Winter's Bone tomorrow, I heard it's really good.

I'll probably cancel by Netflix US subscription, I can still access it via vpn but I'd like to support my local Netflix, they'll probably get more content if they have more subscribers.
 
So anybody checking out the different regions?

Looking at Germany now and the David Attenborough series 'Life' is on there, all the great Tv shows, nice films but nothing brand new. I think people will like it.

edit: Denmark has Capt America Winter Soldiers and Rush :o
 
Can´t access austrian netflix yet. Tells me it hasn´t come to the region yet.

Mind you, that i´ve been using netflix for over a year thanks to hola, so it´s more a curiosity thing than anything else.
 
Pluto said:
I just checked out Netflix Germany, Penny Dreadful and the Fargo series are on there, sweet. They also have Doctor Who seasons 1 to 7, I've already seen it but with the german dub I'll get my sister to watch it.

I'll watch Winter's Bone tomorrow, I heard it's really good.

I'll probably cancel by Netflix US subscription, I can still access it via vpn but I'd like to support my local Netflix, they'll probably get more content if they have more subscribers.
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Yay! I worked on getting Penny Dreadful on Netflix France, Germany, and Belgium so I hope you enjoy it!
 
Lilalaunebaer said:
Can´t access austrian netflix yet. Tells me it hasn´t come to the region yet.

Mind you, that i´ve been using netflix for over a year thanks to hola, so it´s more a curiosity thing than anything else.
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Yea, it sucks that they're doing it like this in my opinion. Belgium has to wait until friday probably.
 
I just started a free month of German Amazon Prime, which would cost 49€ for a year. How is the Netflix library compared to Prime's free selection? It's twice as much per year, after all.

The more OV the better.
 
Binabik15 said:
I just started a free month of German Amazon Prime, which would cost 49€ for a year. How is the Netflix library compared to Prime's free selection? It's twice as much per year, after all.

The more OV the better.
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Netflix won at the moment where they let you choose between at least german and english. Sometimes there is even a third one (original dub, I saw japanese with anime and french with Wakfu). Amazon Prime has mostly german only and I can count the shows that has an english dub with the fingers of one hand. If the items of the library worth more you have to decide for yourself.
 
Well, the austrian one just launched. Pretty good selection i think (for the start). Everything i saw has dual audio (german/english) and maybe even a third one (saw a few with frensh dub).

Maybe i can get my parents to use my account, now that they don´t need to play with vpns and the likes.

Edit: Oh god, it has Ace Attorney.
 
Exceeded my expectations. Almost everything I tried has the original language. I hope they can grow their library fast enough to eclipse Amazon, which has a larger but single audio library. They are better than any local offering though. If they would add rentals for recent movies they would kill of several companies currently in the local streaming business.
 
Started my free month in germany.

I really like it. English dub + german sub is amazing. I hope this will be the standard for EVERY non german series on Netflix.

The only problem i had at first was the video quality but with ctrl+shift+alt+s i could force higher quality.

Now it needs are more series.

Right now i added this to my List:

Fargo. Not seen till now
Breaking Bad. Rewatch run maybe :)
Knights of Sidonia. Looked like the only good Anime in the list
Arrow. Will watch if they add season 2
Der Tatortreiniger. German series i heard that is good but never watched because it runs on weird times.
Luther. Watched season 1 2-3years ago, can now watch the rest.
American Horror Story. Never watched
Modern Family. Just nice comedy, watched first 2,5 seasons.
House of Cards. Not seen till now
Orange is the new Black. Not seen till now

I think this will be enough for the first free month xD
 
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