January 7 (SeeNews) - Online video streaming service Netflix reached total exposure in Eastern Europe after launching its service in Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Russia, the company announced late on Wednesday during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
In Romania, Netflix will compete with several local online streaming services, such as voyo.ro, owned by Bermudan Central Media Enterprises, HBO Go, Telekom TV provided by German telecom operator Telekom and Digi Online services provided by Romanian telecom company RCS&RDS.
In Bulgaria, the latest statistics in Mavise database on TV and on-demand audiovisual services in Europe, available for 2013, show a number of five providers of on-demand audiovisual services: Amotera Bg EOOD, Balkan News Corporation, Bulgaria National Television, Fen Ti Vi Ood and Global Komyunikeyshan Net Ad.
Netflix offers three subscription plans for Romania and Bulgaria of 7.99 euro, 9.99 euro and 11.99 euro and the first month is free. The service can be used up to four devices, they can be TV, computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone and some game consoles.
Besides the official competition, Netflix will have to compete with pirate online streaming services, which are very popular in Europe.
Nearly 70% of Europeans download or stream films for free, whether legally or illegally, according to a European Commission study on
audience behaviour conducted in February 2014.
In 2012, Romanian authorities closed some 42 such pirate sites after online service representatives of Voyo complained about unfair competition.
Netflix launched its services in 60 countries simultaneously, reaching a global coverage of 130 countries. "At the moment we are witnessing the birth of a global television network," CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement posted on Netflix's website. Among new subscribers to the platform are Russia, India and South Korea.