NETFLIX LAUNCHES ITS SERVICES ACROSS AFRICA
By: CNBC Africa
Netflix revealed at CES 2016 in Las Vegas that it has launched its service globally, bringing its internet TV network to more than 130 new countries around the world.
The service is now available across Africa.
During a keynote at CES 2016, Netflix Co-founder and Chief Executive Reed Hastings said: “Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global internet TV network.
“With this launch, consumers around the world – from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo – will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously – no more waiting. With the help of the internet, we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device.”
The internet television network which launched its streaming service in 2007 said it “is available on virtually any device that has an internet connection, including personal computers, tablets, smartphones, Smart TVs and game consoles, and automatically provides the best possible streaming quality based on available bandwidth. Many titles, including Netflix original series and films, are available in high-definition with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound and some in Ultra HD 4K.
Naspers which owns DStv, responded to the challenge last year with Showmax.
REGIONS WHERE NETFLIX IS AVAILABLE
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Australian Antarctica
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin (Dahomey)
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Guyana
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)
Burundi
Cambodia (Kampuchea)
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde Islands (Cabo Verde)
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo
Denmark
Djibouti Republic
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor (Timor-Leste)
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fijian Islands
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle Of Man
Israel
Italy
Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire)
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Réunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Korea (Republic of Korea)
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau Islands
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas)
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
United States
United States Minor Outlying Islands (Baker Island, Midway Atoll, Wake Island)
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu (New Hebrides)
Vatican City (Holy See)
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
The launch received mixed responses with some asking if DStv will drop its monthly subscription fee and whether Netflix would accept payment methods like Mpesa.
@kezio_musoke @cnbcafrica that would be a good start if they could also start accepting local payments methods like mpesa or local visa
— Esther Kunda (@estherkunda) January 6, 2016
Honestly, this much hype. I’d be happier with 4G Internet speeds nationally. And WiFi everywhere. https://t.co/pCfL2XLvkw
— MODAU (@Mashudu_Modau) January 6, 2016
@cnbcafrica @shauntrennery Their loss could be insisting on $7.99 instead of say R149.99 seeing the volatility of the ZAR and bank costs
— GibraltarZA (@GibraltarZA) January 6, 2016
@cnbcafrica @shauntrennery If I were them, I would introduce a sports bouquet! Channel 200 to 210 for about R200 a month available online 2
— GibraltarZA (@GibraltarZA) January 6, 2016
haaaa.cost of wifi in nigeria. https://t.co/egYFrNgv5W
— opeyemi sufianu (@sufianuopeyemi) January 6, 2016