Broadband News

Netflix now available in the UK and Ireland

Monday 9 January, 2012

By Kelvin Goodson

Internet film and TV subscription service offers ‘instant and unlimited access to a broad range of entertainment’ for a monthly fee.

Netflix, the internet film and TV subscription service, has been launched in the UK and Ireland.

The service will offer users “instant and unlimited access to a broad range of entertainment” for £5.99 a month in the UK and €6.99 (£5.78) a month in Ireland.

From today, those with a broadband connection in the UK and Ireland can sign-up for a free one-month trial of Netflix at Netflix.com.

Those signing up will instantly be able to watch a wide range of local and international TV programmes and films on their TV via internet-connected devices such smart TVs, game consoles, Blu-ray players, tablets and smartphones, or watch on your computer instead.

“We are starting 2012 in the best possible way - by giving consumers in the UK and Ireland an amazing entertainment experience,” said Reed Hastings, co-founder and chief executive officer of Netflix.

“Now, you can enjoy as many great films and TV programmes as you want, when you want, where you want, for one low monthly price with no contracts or commitments.”

At present, Netflix is offering films and TV programmes from the likes of the BBC, Channel 4's 4oD, ITV, MGM, Miramax, Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox.

This means that the service is able to offer users Hollywood films like 1980s/1990s action hero aggregator The Expendables, indie productions like Man on Wire, US programmes including 24 and homegrown favourites such as The Inbetweeners.

Those wishing to sign-up to the one-month free trial can do so through email or Facebook; doing the latter allows users to share what they are watching with friends.

Netflix began in the US in 2007 and is now available in Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as the UK and Ireland, and has 20 million members.