Netflix has stepped up its ongoing war on traditional video distribution models by simultaneously opening up shop in 130 countries around the world, including India. The service went live while CEO Reed Hastings delivered a keynote address at CES 2016 in Las Vegas.

TV put on alert? Hastings mentioned that Netflix entering a market typically coincided with a drop in the usage of illegal file-sharing services such as BitTorrent. And it’s not just pirates who are losing users. The company, which recently began producing its own content, has been steadily emerging as a threat to television networks and movie studios. It served more than 42 billion hours of streaming video to 70 million users last year.

In India, the service will cost ₹500 for the lowest tier, which offers standard definition (SD) streaming on a single screen. Two other plans are also available which allow users to stream higher quality content to more devices. The pricing structure is in line with Netflix’s subscription rates worldwide. Potential users will need a credit card to sign up for Netflix as it does not currently support debit cards or net banking.

‘Localisation is key’ Although the service will not offer its full library of content in India, its catalogue will include the full complement of Netflix originals and a selection of Hollywood films, American TV shows and local content.

Localisation is key, said Chitavan Patel, Neflix’s Director of Content Acquisition. “We’re looking at the new wave of Indian independent cinema, which is really exciting. The content that we license is very particular to each country,” she said.

“With this launch are in learning mode,” added Chris Jaffe, Vice-President (Interface Innovation). “We figured we could either spend a lot of time studying the various issues associated with launching in all these countries, or just get it out there and learn from user experience.”

Web speeds no bar Jaffe also insists that India’s poor broadband speeds will not affect the Netflix experience. “Our adaptive streami-ng mechanism provides the best possible experience to the user depending on available connection,” he said.

The company has confirmed that none of the content it serves is censored at the moment. It will, instead, provide its own ratings that indicate the appropriate audiences for a particular piece of content. “Giving the consumer control to manage what’s right for them and their families is the most important thing for us,” Jaffe explained. “But we also want to abide by local rules and regulations.”

The writer is in Las Vegas at the invitation of Lenovo India

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