Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has said the UK is one of the most competitive markets where the streaming service operates.
Hastings was responding to questioning about Amazon’s mooted set-top for the US market and a new $700 million investment at Hulu. “There are certain markets like the UK that are very competitive with BSkyB and NOW TV,” said Hastings. “And remember it’s that we just don’t compete against say other $8 to $10 video services. We compete broadly against cable and satellite; we compete against video games; we compete against just browsing time, killing time on the web. And so it’s because we compete so broadly that we haven’t seen any material effect as more direct competitors have risen and fallen in the last 2 or 3 years.”
In the US 1.29 million additions took the subscriber base to 31.09. Total revenues stood at $1,106 million.
Netflix continues to grow its international business, following launches in the Nordic and the Netherlands.
9.19 million subscribers were held internationally at the end of September, up by 1.44 million in the previous quarter.
The streaming service does not break down individual markets but says its paid net adds remain a reliable indicator. Free trials in Latin America during September temporarily boosted total member numbers.
International losses sat at $74 million with the anticipation Netflix will reach 10.5 million international members by the end of the year.
There are plans for new international launches during 2014.