Netflix Reaches 1M Members in Canada
Movie service Netflix has reached a milestone in the great white north by surpassing one million subscribers. Netflix actually reached the magic number in July, when Amanda Bell James of Flin Flon, Manitoba, signed up. For being the millionth Canadian subscriber, James has won a lifetime membership to the service.
"I'm excited to be the millionth Canadian member," says James. "Netflix is something I enjoy with my family and I look forward to continue watching our favorite movies and TV shows via Netflix in the future."
Netflix launched in Canada in September, 2010, so it took ten months to reach the one million mark. Netflix only offers streaming service in Canada; there is no DVD-by-mail option, as in the United States. Unlimited streaming costs $7.99 per month. With both countries combined, Netflix has over 25 million subscribers. In July, Netflix announced that it will expand to 43 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
The news comes at a time when Canada is having its own net neutrality issues. Shaw Communications announced its own streaming movie service in July, saying that use of that service wouldn't count against a subscriber's data cap limit. It quickly backtracked after a hailstorm of criticism, saying that it had been misunderstood. Bell Media has also said that it will charge users differently when using its services and competing services. It remains to be seen what effect data caps will have on Netflix in either country.
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