Netflix is branching out to Australia and New Zealand, though subscribers down under will not be able to access 'House of Cards' or 'Orange is the New Black'.
Netflix Inc is to launch its streaming service in Australia and New Zealand in March, with domestic rivals already shaping up for a fight. Netflix had been expected to expand into the territories for some time and the move continues its international expansion - which now reaches 50 million people.
Kevin Spacey [L] and Robin Wright [R] in Netflix's signature series House of Cards, which will not be available to Australian subscribers
The pricing model for the new territories is yet to be set, though Netflix charges users $8.99 a month in the U.S.
Australia, in particular, offers a potentially lucrative opportunity for Netflix. A new broadband network being built is expected to give 93 per cent of the country's 23 million population high-speed internet access.
More: Netflix postpones Bill Cosby comedy special over sexual allegations
Foxtel, which is part-owned by News Corp, halved its prices to $21.68 a month amid reports it's struggling to lift its market share owing to Netflix's impending arrival.
Newspaper publisher Fairfax Media Ltd and broadcaster Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd are reportedly planning a $100 million joint venture streaming service, widely seen as a way to get in ahead of Netflix.
Taylor Schilling in 'Orange is the New Black' - another Netflix show that will not be available to Australian Netflix subscribers
"The risk with Netflix is that it can replace existing home media sources like free-to-air or pay TV or things like that," one cinema analyst told Reuters.
There may be a glimmer of hope for Netflix rivals. As Dan Barrett of The Guardian notes, many subscribers in Australia and New Zealand are likely to be disappointed by a smaller library that will miss out several key titles. Netflix will not offer House of Cards or Orange is the New Black - two of its signature series - when it launches down under, instead offering the yet-to-launch Marco Polo and BoJack Horseman.
More: will Netflix's new pricing plan affect you?
Last month, Netflix launched in France with a severely limited library that was just enough to justify its 8.99 euro monthly cost.
Nevertheless, the streaming service will increase in value in 2015 with the launch of numerous high-profile series including the Marvel superhero show Daredevil, new sci-fi series called Sens8 and a new Lily Tomlin comedy, Grace & Frankie.
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