Australians, You Can Turn Off Your VPNs, Netflix is Finally Coming Down Under

[Steven Bogos]

Australians, You Can Turn Off Your VPNs, Netflix is Finally Coming Down Under

Popular TV and Movie streaming service Netflix will be making its way to Australia in 2015.

So Netflix is a pretty great way to stream movies and TV shows for a single, monthly fee... if you happen to live in the US of course. For those of us in various other countries around the world, we're SOL, and considering that some things are exclusive to the service [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123933-Netflix-Debuts-Arrested-Development-Season-4-Trailer], there's actually no legal way for us to watch them. Thankfully, Netflix has now finally announced plans to expand Down Under, promising to bring (some of) the content US users currently enjoy to Australia and New Zealand.

"Internet-connected users in Australia and New Zealand will be able to subscribe to Netflix and instantly watch a curated selection of popular movies and TV shows in high-definition or even 4K where available. At launch, the premium and unique Netflix offering will include such original series as Marco Polo, BoJack Horseman and, among many kids titles, DreamWorks Animation’s All Hail King Julien," said the company in a press release [https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/getNewsSummary.do?newsId=1751]. The key word here is "curated," which is the fancy way of saying "you're not gonna get everything."

However, Netflix did promise that the ANZ service would expand in 2015 to eventually offer Bloodline, Marvel’s Daredevil, Sense8 and Grace and Frankie. There's no word on when the rest of the US content will make it down to the ANZ region, but we can probably assume it will happen slowly over the next couple years.

Netflix will be available at launch in Australia and New Zealand on smart TVs, tablets and smartphones, computers and a range of Internet-capable game consoles and set-top boxes. Additional details on pricing, programming and supported devices will be available at a later date.

It's great to see the big US streaming services make their way down to Australia. Now, if only we can get Hulu to notice us...

Source: Netflix [https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/getNewsSummary.do?newsId=1751]

Permalink

 

[Elijin]

This is great news!

My key concern is that this will be hell on our connections. The data capped plans Americans hate are the standard practice here. Depending on how your ISP decides to meter this content, it will be crippling to most user's internet plans.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

Well, we're going to need it. After Turdbull is done gutting the ABC and SBS we'll be reduced to watching the socks go round in the washing machine for quality Australian entertainment.

 

[Vault101]

first reaction: OHHHH MY GAAWWWWD YEEEES!!!

second reaction: obviously its gonna be limited...still we'll see

third reaction: if we don't get OITNB somones gonna get slocked with a lock in a sock

My key concern is that this will be hell on our connections. The data capped plans Americans hate are the standard practice here. Depending on how your ISP decides to meter this content, it will be crippling to most user's internet plans.

maybe that will prompt a national outcry of [I/]"hey ya bastards! we need more fucking data and we need it right-fucking-NOW!!!"[/I]

downside to all this is JB HI FI's stock might plummet...which is a shame because I like JB HI FI

 

[Revolutionary]

Hmm, but how much content will we end up having? Not all netflixes (yes that's a plural now) are created equal. If they don't bring over a good stable of content, people may just continue to use VPN's regardless. Obviously they'll be able bring over their own original content, but that may not be enough. What if they can't get a lot of their major third party draw cards like The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Supernatural, or animated shows (eg. Futurama, Archer, Metalocalypse, family guy etc.) and that's to say nothing of all the anime they've got.

OBVIOUSLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND WOULD NEVER USE GEO-BLOCKING CIRCUMVENTION AND AM JUST SPECULATING HYPOTHETICALLY.

 

[seditary]

Have to wait and see how much of the Netflix catalogue gets to us and of course internet plans here aren't terribly conducive towards mass high quality video streaming but its welcome news.

 

[Porygon-2000]

This just in: I have confirmed reports that Hell has indeed frozen over!

Also, be interesting to see how Foxtel takes the news. Will they acknowledge the competition and change practices to better accommodate customers? Or will they put their fingers in their ears, stick their heads in the sand and pretend their business model ISN'T going down the drain?

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

Yeah hang on to your VPNs, if the data retention bill goes through, (and in the current government it probably will) you'll need it.

I just hope they bring over lots of good content and don't get stuck behind licensing barriers. I really want to see Foxtel get fucked over by far better, consumer friendly, competition.

 

[Strazdas]

Hold on to your VPNs still. If Canada and Europe Netflix is any indication - your going to get 10% of the content if that. the worst 10%.

This just in: I have confirmed reports that Hell has indeed frozen over!

Also, be interesting to see how Foxtel takes the news. Will they acknowledge the competition and change practices to better accommodate customers? Or will they put their fingers in their ears, stick their heads in the sand and pretend their business model ISN'T going down the drain?

Lobby your PM to not only stop developement but actively dismantly your internet infrastructure. because obviuosly thats the only logical way to compete!

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I bet the content they deliver will be the content Foxtel hasn't locked down.

 

[crotchdot]

Every tech company gouges us when it comes to pricing digital content, commonly referred to as the
"Australia tax". Charge more because you can. And why wouldn't you, when so many people are prepared to pay it?

So I'll be holding hold onto my VPN, thanks.

 

[Littaly]

Brace yourselves Australians. Brace yourself for the overwhelming disappointment when you find out how limited the movie selection on non-US Netflix is :-/

 

[WWmelb]

I don't think people in australia are shopping around enough for their ISP. I found an unknown company here called Eftel (i believe they are a EU corp) and get unlimited, unshaped ADSL2+ for 89 a month with a home phone as well, but i don't use that at all. Don't even have one plugged in.

Awesome customer service from them, and average about 1.6MB download speeds. And i'm in rural Vic. So yeah, not sure what sort of plans others are on, but Telstra especially gouge the shit out of everything. HD Streaming has no problems so ife we get a DECENT amount of content through Netflix AU, but i sincerely doubt it, i'll be all over this. Foxtel has locked in broadcasting rights to most everything for a long time into the future.

Also, hopefully we don't get hit with the australia tax too hard on it.

 

[mrverbal]

Current info is that it isn't going to have most netflix originals, let alone anything much else. (It is strongly rumoured that it won't have OITNB or house of cards, for instance, by industry insiders)

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Well, we're going to need it. After Turdbull is done gutting the ABC and SBS we'll be reduced to watching the socks go round in the washing machine for quality Australian entertainment.

I think they're being folded into a single YouTube channel.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

This just in: I have confirmed reports that Hell has indeed frozen over!

Also, be interesting to see how Foxtel takes the news. Will they acknowledge the competition and change practices to better accommodate customers? Or will they put their fingers in their ears, stick their heads in the sand and pretend their business model ISN'T going down the drain?

Lobby your PM to not only stop developement but actively dismantly your internet infrastructure. because obviuosly thats the only logical way to compete!

Rupert doesn't lobby, Rupert issues edicts.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Eh, depending on how the metadata thing goes, Australians might not need to muck about with VPNs anyway.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Hmm, but how much content will we end up having? Not all netflixes (yes that's a plural now) are created equal. If they don't bring over a good stable of content, people may just continue to use VPN's regardless. Obviously they'll be able bring over their own original content, but that may not be enough. What if they can't get a lot of their major third party draw cards like The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Supernatural, or animated shows (eg. Futurama, Archer, Metalocalypse, family guy etc.) and that's to say nothing of all the anime they've got.

OBVIOUSLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND WOULD NEVER USE GEO-BLOCKING CIRCUMVENTION AND AM JUST SPECULATING HYPOTHETICALLY.

now I'm not australian, but I agree, it's horseshit how much different content is available to different users, so using a VNP is second nature for me right now when it comes to netflix.

 

[Czann]

"There's actually no legal way for us to watch them."

Oh bother, if at least there was any other way to get all content I want but they refuse to sell me.

 

[Estarc]

... So since we'll only be getting a fraction of the content, we'll only be paying a fraction of the price, right?