In a move to expand its user base in India, Netflix, the America-based streaming giant, has extended its cheaper mobile-only subscription trials to India. The new Rs 250 per month mobile-only subscription plan is being tested with select users in the country. Netflix has confirmed it’s not an official roll-out of a new plan or a price cut.
The video streaming major is charging Rs 250 per month which is half of the Rs 500 monthly pricing Netflix had launched as its entry-level plan in the country.
The mobile-only plan allows subscribers to watch standard definition (SD) content on a single mobile or tablet screen at a time.
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Netflix’s new cheaper mobile-only subscription test is considered to be the company’s ambitious plans to acquire “100 million subscribers” from India. With an objective to tap India’s growing internet user base, Netflix is partnering with local content creators and investing in “originals.” Last year, it announced 7 new original productions for Asia, including nine for India.
Netflix is currently facing stiff competition from Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar, who offer subscriptions to their Video-on-Demand (VOD) services at a much lesser price. Hotstar’s subscription plans start at Rs 199 per month and Rs 1200 for a whole year, while Amazon Prime Video, is priced at Rs 129 per month. Amazon’s services can also be availed at a discounted price, if the subscription is for a full year, like Hotstar.
