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THE NETFLIX SUCCESS story continues apace with the news that the streaming service is set to ramp up its international expansion in the immediate future.
The company, whose branch out into original programming has been an unqualified success, announced spectacular final quarter results for 2014 today.
Netflix is well-established in Ireland having first launched here in 2012, though the depth of programming available on these shores still lags significantly behind what’s on offer in the US.
All told the company added 13 million worldwide subscribers last year, and it expects to pass 61 million paying customers by the end of March.
With earnings also hitting a new high of $83.4 million for the quarter, CEO Reed Hastings announced that the service plans to complete its international expansion by 2017.
“It’s going to be an exciting couple of years,” Hastings told the gathered media.
This expansion is the next logical step for Netflix – as subscribers have maxed out in America the profit avalanche currently being seen is fired fundamentally by the company’s newer overseas markets.
With the success of its own-brand programming the company, based in Los Gatos California, plans to borrow $1 billion to help finance its big international push, and an entry into China may even be on the cards.
“Internet TV is growing globally, and Netflix is leading the charge,” said a letter to shareholders accompanying today’s results.
New Zealand and Australia are next on the agenda and should have a Netflix service by March, while the service is increasing spending on its its own shows in the face of intense competition from the likes of Amazon, HBO and US streaming service Hulu.
Hastings’ company plans on making 320 hours of new and original content this year, including Breaking Bad methadone Better Call Saul, season three of House of Cards, and the new Tina Fey comedy The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
You can also expect to see The Interview on Netflix in the near future, the controversial James Franco comedy whose very existence lead to threats from North Korea and the hacking of Sony Pictures’ email servers.
We might watch that one in incognito mode so.
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The worst thing about Netflix is you spend have the time looking through loads of film titles wondering which one to watch…
I never noticed the blood on Frank’s hands until now! Subtle
Can’t wait to watch the next season. Such a classy show.
Is there anything decent on Netflix? Old movies, kids stuff and the odd box set no?
Its convenient, thats about it.
I can’t remember the last time I used Irish netflix, probably on a Fr Ted marathon. That’s it. I don’t know anyone who uses the Irish version these days. Use a dynamic DNS service (I use unotelly) to use the US version instead. You can switch back and forth if needed. But the Irish one is pretty pants.
And Netflix have confirmed the won’t shut down your account if your caught using one. Now if only we could get RTE to go pay for view only…….
Rarely use the irish one. Prob for the father ted too. I use hola on the lap top to watch the U.S. one
Can I do that with ps3??
One word “Turboflix”
Actually, you can set up the DNS on your router/modem so that all devices in your home, including your PS3, use the US version.
For the Irish version, I just switch to using 4G on my phone and watch it there. Means I don’t have to tinker with anything once it’s set up. It also means you don’t need to open it in an app like hola. Hola is painful to use and is slow as hell. So too is a VPN with HD video.
There’s plenty of dynamic DNS services available. The one I use is not the only, or necessarily best, one. Hope that’s useful.
You sure you don’t mean a VPN? I don’t see how a dynamic dns service could do what you are saying. A dynamic dns service is one that maps a server address to an ip address that changes.
Cool thanks
Sorry Colm, you’re right. The Dynamic DNS is actually just for the changing IP address of the router, I believe it’s actually some sort of ipsec that’s used exclusively for netflix traffic. Either way, it works really well.
Do a search on google, fairly easy to do. No charges.
Dave / Colm: you’re both close :) it’s actually smart DNS solution that you refer to. And to make it little bit more confusing – it often use dynamic DNS to work together.
In example: you are provided with dedicated DNS server that is automatically detecting your requests, so if you try to open http://www.netflix.com it will put you through their proxy server located in the US (in order to allow you to view us content). If you open http://www.rte.ie then nothing special happens – it will forward to rte as normal. So it knows what websites need to be put through proxy which not – hence name smart DNS. Then it can use dynamic DNS as well – this is for their own security. For example they offer you their smart DNS service but how can they know their service is not used by multiple people – anyone can enter their DNS details and use for free? Of course they have to add restriction for each IP (customer). Because your connection IP may be changing dynamically with your provider – then that’s why and when dynamic DNS service comes into play – so when your ip changes they automatically know it and allow you to use service as normal. If you didn’t use dynamic DNS then every time your ISP changes your ip you would have to manually change it with your smart DNS provider. If your ip is not dynamically changed by your ISP then you don’t need dynamic DNS to use smart DNS services. Hope that helps a bit.
Show Box…alternative to Netflix…no subscription…just saying!
This. ShowBox is yer only man. Compatible with Chromecast too with the Bubbleupnp app on Android.
I use localcast with it ,does that one work better
Have looked at showbox before and don’t get it. Any suggestions for setting it up for a complete thick using iOS and appleTV??
Constantly crashing and getting blocked. Not much of an alternative.
Try popcorn time for IOS
Couchtunter.eu for airplaying streamed content to apple tv. Or casting to chromecast for that matter
Box set?….check out ‘The Killing’ on Netflix. It’s my new addiction.
It’s brilliant love it
Netflix is great. Only 8.99 a month for two screens at the same time. Way cheaper than cable or sky. Don’t have to worry about repeats,
I see the standard account has gone from 6.99 (which allowed two screens) to 7.99 are they charging an extra euro for the second screen too?
Search for isoplex
A free streaming service
You just need a fast connection
That’s me out so. Country living.
I use turboflix its Netflix really but they give you different dns codes on the gaming consoles it much better than the Irish Netflix so much to choose from its only 3 euro a month
I can’t find anything that’s works on Xbox one any ideas?
As I mentioned above, unotelly.com
Set it up on your router so you don’t even need to configure your xbox.
So if in a few years if most people just watch internet tv, what happens to traditional tv channels with little viewership they may disappear and we will be left with just subscription internet tv and that is not good news.
Are you kidding me, I have access to thousands of amazing movies, TV shows, loads of kids TV for €7, or I can pay a rip off TV Licence for the late late show, give me Netflix any day.
With 65 million paying subscribers a month earning them half a billion euro a month…. Internet tv is not only profitable but very enticing
Try xbmc(now called kodi) with tvaddons. It has all the tv shows, Its free plus is up to date and has movies just released in cinema.
Ah ya cant bate the auld reliable….. teletext
Interesting that Netflix is “arriving” in Australia in two months when there are already 250,000 households using the service through dynamic DNS bypassing the geo-blocking. Netflix’s Australian service will be competing against their own far superior USA service.
Yes most will continue to watch the U.S. Version it’s a no brainer why pay the same for less content. This is something Netflix will have to sit do and have a long think about.
Netflix US is great can’t say the same about the European version.
HBO will wipe the floor with Netflix when it gets motoring.
Portal TV app is by far the best and can be used with Chromecast,
Watched Taken 3 on it last night ( only just out in cinemas ) and The Interview is also available.
All the latest movies.
How can I get American Netflix on my iPad?
Any help would be great. Thank you.
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