Netflix has announced plans to bring its service to several new Asian countries, including South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The move could potentially lead to more content being made available to British subscribers.
The move into new Asian territories is part of Netflix's plan to complete a "global rollout" by the end of 2016. The streaming service is already available in more than 50 countries, and the company plans to reach 200 nations by the end of next year.
The shift into new foreign territories could provide more exclusive Netflix content for audiences around the world. When it announced its plans for a global expansion in January, Netflix told its shareholders that one of the big advantages of breaking into new territories "is being able to source great stories from around the world and deliver them to the world".
Netflix has already delivered a string of critically acclaimed exclusives, including House of Cards, Orange is the new Black and Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul. If the company creates its own shows for Asian and European audiences, it's likely they will be made available to British audiences too, with the company not having to deal with the tortuous international rights issues it confronts with third-party content.
The expansion into new territories will put pressure on international networks. Netflix accounts for a third of all peak time internet traffic in the US, according to Sandvine, and is growing rapidly in Europe. Netflix is, unsurprisingly, a strong advocate of net neutrality, amid fears that ISPs may soon charge the company and other streaming media firms to ensure that their streams reach customers smoothly.
