Netflix to increase subscription prices

[Sherman A1]

The streaming video company said Monday that it planned to increase subscription prices for new customers by one or two dollars a month within the next few months. Existing subscribers will be able to continue at their current rate "for a generous time period," Netflix (NFLX) said.

U.S. streaming subscribers currently pay $7.99 a month, a plan introduced back in 2010. The company raised monthly fees for new subscribers in Ireland by one euro back in January, a change that it said had "limited impact."

"If we want to continue to expand, to do more great original content... we have to eventually increase prices a little bit," Netflix (NFLX) CEO Reed Hastings said in a conference call with analysts Monday.

The news came as part of Netflix's first-quarter earnings announcement. Shares surged 6.6% in after-hours trading Monday, after another quarter of strong subscription growth and earnings that came in ahead of analyst expectations.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/21/technology/netflix-prices/index.html?iid=A_BN_News

[corkhead]

1. call it the "Comcast Bridge Troll Fee"

[liberal N proud]

2. My wife will want to cancel Netflix on this note

She is already disgusted with the last few episodes of House of Cards and doesn't think we use it enough. This could be just the thing she is looking for to kill it.

[Sherman A1]

3. We will have to decide when the time comes

I am currently on a year deal that came with the TV I purchased last Summer, so when the time comes we will see.

[lpbk2713]

4. Must be because of that broken disc I sent back last week.

My bad.

[Sherman A1]

7. Now we know

[NV Whino]

5. If it increases the quality of their streaming content

I don't have any problem with that. If it's two bucks more for status quo, I'm gone.

[Sedona]

6. I get all the same content on Amazon Prime

I suspended my Netflix right after I finished House of Cards season 2.
When season 3 turns up I'll reactivate to watch it and probably be gone again.

[2banon]

8. I enjoy my subscription with Netflix.

I never have a problem with their service, and do both disc and streaming. it's a company I want to see succeed.. all of it's problems are directly tied to the Cable and content distributors, Comcast and the film industry for holding back new releases and giving it it over to Amazon first etc. And now the latest lawsuit against Netflix for content is intended to crush a company I see as a "David vs Goliath" struggle.

[Mnpaul]

9. Thanks for reminding me

I keep forgetting to cancel my account. I signed up to see the latest House of Cards and they put me on auto renew.

[Born Free]

10. New subscribers will be charged more

The article I read stated new customers will pay higher prices but existing customers will have a generous time period before getting any price increases. I dropped Amazon Prime when they raised their rates and may do the same with Netflix but it is far too early to guess what we will do.

We tried Redbox instant and it works pretty good, has a good price but lacks the video library Netflix currently has available

I do think prices will increase as Comcast puts more extra fees on Netflix traffic. Perhaps Netflix should have separate detailed plans for to allow their customers to see where the extra costs are coming from. Perhaps Netflix should break out the costs, have their costs plus extra fees charged by the various internet providers and let the Netflix customers decide if it is better to switch providers.If half of Netflix customers decided it was better to switch internet providers, the providers adding the extra fees would reconsider those extra fees. I know we would switch to Verizon FIOS if they do not add extra charges for Netflix traffic, but the way it is consumers are kept in the dark, only guessing what is going on.