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Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon

By | September 24, 2010, 7:45am PDT

Summary: As Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” service becomes stronger thanks to its deal with NBC Universal, U.S. consumers might soon have the option of signing up for a streaming-only subscription.

As Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” service becomes stronger thanks to its deal with NBC Universal, U.S. consumers might soon have the option of signing up for a streaming-only subscription.

While issuing an apology about something he said in Canada this week, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings casually mentioned that the company is “looking at adding a streaming-only option for the USA over the coming months.”

Having more subscription offers and price plans is probably better in the long run. Personally, I use the Watch Instantly service much more than I used to considering how much more content, especially from TV, are available now.

But there are still many, many more titles that are only available by mail, so I’d rather have the option of both. But if the streaming-only option is priced lower, then it would be great for anyone on a very tight budget.

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NetFlix Inc., Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet based in San Francisco.

Disclosure

Rachel King

Rachel King has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted in this blog.

Biography

Rachel King

Rachel King is a staff writer for CBS Interactive in San Francisco. Before serving as a contributing editor at ZDNet in New York City for two years, she previously worked for The Business Insider, FastCompany.com, CNN's San Francisco bureau and the U.S. Department of State. Rachel has also written for MainStreet.com, Irish America Magazine and the New York Daily News, among others. Rachel has a B.A. in Mass Communications and History from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, where she served as art director for the student magazine, Plated.

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RE: Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon
eye4bear 22nd Oct 2010
As someone mentioned, I am set for unlimited one DVD at a time and streaming. At 8.99 a month you can't beat it and I doubt streaming only could be much cheaper, maybe 4.99.
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RE: Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon
rewand 24th Sep 2010
Redbox offers movies for $1.00 but the selection is really bad. I'd love a Netflix streaming option for $1.00 per movie.
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Ugh, older than dirt content streamed.
No_Ax_to_Grind 24th Sep 2010
No thanks.
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RE: Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon
redhaven 24th Sep 2010
I really like streaming Netflix because it can stream to the Wii and we can watch on our regular TV. We cancelled our cable (we still have internet) so the ability to watch some TV shows and movies through the Wii is awesome. I never even order the DVD through the mail. I don't think we even have a DVD player.
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Why do you want a streaming only option, that's just stupid?
Kalkoala 24th Sep 2010
Peoples it's only $9.00 for all you can watch stream and one DVD. I don't see them making a all you can watch price much cheaper, so just enjoy the fact you occasionally have surprise to look forward to in the mail besides a bill. And anyways we need to help keep the postal service in business. Tim Liao - Aliso Viejo
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RE: Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon
javelinsst 24th Sep 2010
Streaming may be a viable option in the U. S. in another decade. Today it is a waste of time for the vast majority of the country. The infrastructure simply can't support even VHS quality video. High Def video is still a dream. And a significant percentage of the U. S. still has NO infrastructure at all. No cable, no internet, barely cell service.

My daughter had a friend over for the weekend. They spent a lot of time watching movies, a combination of Time Warner On Demand and Netflix streaming. In all cases the picture quality at best was fair. All movies experienced annoying levels of blocking and other digital artifacts, freezing, and total loss of picture and sound. The ended up going back to their game systems.

If you are in the minority that can stream High Def video, enjoy it. For now, the only way for the rest of us to get quality video is Blu-Ray.
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I'm Already On Board
yobtaf 24th Sep 2010
Streaming is the new cable television.
If Netflix starts running commercials, I'm out.
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RE: Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon
cybursoft Updated - 26th Sep 2010
Netflix is God in this house , I have a computer two big screen TV set up just for Netflix that runs all day and all night. @Rachel King I hope you did not hurt yourself writing that one paragraph. "winks"
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RE: Netflix CEO: Streaming-only option for U.S. could be coming soon
eye4bear 22nd Oct 2010
As someone mentioned, I am set for unlimited one DVD at a time and streaming. At 8.99 a month you can't beat it and I doubt streaming only could be much cheaper, maybe 4.99.

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