Netflix expanding to Canada with Only-online-streaming proposition

written by: Gianluigi Cuccureddu

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Published on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 14:29

The Hollywood Reporter writes about the first foreign expansion of Netflix, namely to Canada.

Netflix's co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings will be in Toronto on Wednesday to launch their online video subscription service that allows Canadians to download their favorite movies and TV shows for a monthly fee.

The Canadian market is a fierce competitive playground for both local video distribution players and Internet content-streaming giants like Apple TV and Boxee.
In terms of local video distribution players, Zip.ca is a Canadian online DVD rental company operating. Zip.ca has a database of over 82,000 unique titles.

Other Canadian developments in this industry are:

Phone giant BCE Inc. ten days ago unveiled a $3.2 billion deal to acquire top-rated national TV network CTV, and cable giant Shaw Communications has a deal in the works to purchase rival broadcaster Canwest Global Communications Corp. for $2 billion.

They and other players like cable giants Rogers Communications andQuebecor Media have been bolstering their online video offerings in recent months in anticipation of Netflix's expansion northwards, and lowering the cost of their data plans.

One addition to Netflix proposition:
Netflix's Canuck offering will be only online streaming, with no physical DVD rentals planned, at least for now.