UPDATED 13:47 EDT / JULY 12 2011

Netflix’s New Subscription Plans Sound Like Wireless Carriers

Netflix, the world’s favorite Internet subscription service provider, has revealed a new unlimited DVD plan for US customers. Under the new scheme, members would pay $7.99 a month for one DVD out a time and $11.99 a month for two DVDs out a time on an unlimited basis. Those who are interested in blue-ray discs will need to pay $9.99 a month.

Netflix is also discontinuing unlimited plans for both streaming and DVDs by mail, and is separating its unlimited DVDs plan and unlimited streaming plans. The decision was taken to provide members a choice of service and cost to choose as per their interest. Members now have the option to choose a DVD only plan, a streaming only plan or both. For availing both the services members will now have to pay $15.98 a month.

“Netflix members love watching instantly, but we’ve come to recognize there is still a very large continuing demand for DVDs by mail,” said Andy Rendich, Netflix Chief Service and Operations Officer. “By better reflecting the underlying costs and offering our lowest prices ever for unlimited DVD, we hope to provide a great value to our current and future DVD-by-mail members.”

“Our $7.99-per-month plan is for one stream at a time, and later this year, we expect to be able to offer consumers some account options to watch multiple simultaneous streams,” Netflix said in a statement.

The plan essentially splits up its subscription plans, creating a clear delineation between its physical and virtual services.  It harps on how far Netflix has come since first launching as a mail-delivery service.  The Post Office may be dismal about Netflix’s growing focus on digital delivery, but Netflix is also recognizing the potential in data-driven delivery.  Netflix is starting to sound like a wireless carrier.

Netflix is expanding its steaming services globally. Netflix has nearly 24 million subscribers in the US and Canada alone, and recently launched streaming services in the Latin America and the Caribbean, where it’s a strong leader in content delivery, across industries.  They offer streaming services to Sony’s PS3, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii consoles, Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and to Internet video players and Internet TVs providers.

Netflix’s second quarter 2011 financial results will be declared on Monday, July 25, 2011 and by providing an unlimited DVDs by mail plan at lowest price ever, it is planning to strengthen its financial books and move ahead of its competitors such as Apple, Google and Hulu. Interestingly, Netflix has pulled away from the race to buy Hulu, which was currently being auctioned off by owners News Corp, Walt Disney, and Comcast’s NBCUniversal.


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