Netflix to set shop in Mumbai, invest in local content

Netflix to set shop in Mumbai, invest in local content

MUMBAI: US California-based video streaming service provider Netflix has plans to establish an office in India aimed at stepping up its game in India, according to a National US-India Chamber of Commerce news release. The India office is expected to be based in Mumbai -- the company’s fourth in Asia, after Tokyo, Singapore and Taiwan.

Netflix recently announced that its service will now be available on the DTH platforms of Bharti Airtel and Videocon. It also entered into a carrier billing agreement with Vodafone India.

Also, the streaming service is planning to invest in making new content for the Indian market, and also come up with new payment platforms, the release stated.

The NUICC release, citing Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings, said the Mumbai office will be as big as Tokyo within a few years. Hastings added that India had seen the highest growth among all Asian markets for Netflix's offering, and targets to be among the top five apps on a consumer's phone.

Netflix at present has around 94 million users, among which 44 million are outside the US market, according to the NUICC statement.

The expansion move comes when the company is attempting to be the first to eliminate buffering while at the same time working on technology that enables content to stream at speeds of 100 kbps. Such a move could boost the company in markets like India, the world's fastest growing smartphone market, where network speeds are among the slowest in the world, the NUICC said.

Also Read :

Futureworks implements HDR and ACES

Amazon Prime subs may get Fire TV device for Rs 1999 this month

Airtel launches hybrid DTH STB, to have 500+ channels, Netflix & YouTube preloaded