Netflix expands to 130 new countries, including India, Russia and South Korea

By John Callaham
last updated

Netflix is now available nearly everywhere in the world, with one big exception. Company CEO Reed Hastings revealed during his CES 2016 keynote speech that the streaming video service has gone live in 130 new countries, including India, Russia and South Korea.

Hastings noted that Netflix is still not available in China, but he stated the company is working to add that country to the list in the near future. LG has announced a partnership with Netflix to help offer prepaid access to the service in many of its new markets.

Press release:

Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

World's Leading Internet TV Service Now Live in More than 190 Countries

Las Vegas, January 6, 2016 -- Netflix launched its service globally, simultaneously bringing its Internet TV network to more than 130 new countries around the world. The company made the announcement -- and the service went live -- during a keynote by Co-founder and Chief Executive Reed Hastings at CES 2016.

"Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global Internet TV network," said Hastings. "With this launch, consumers around the world -- from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo -- will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously -- no more waiting. With the help of the Internet, we are putting power in consumers' hands to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device."

For one monthly price, members around the world will be able to enjoy Netflix original series including Marvel's Daredevil and Marvel's Jessica Jones, Narcos, Sense8, Grace and Frankie, and Marco Polo, as well as a catalog of licensed TV shows and movies. In 2016, the company plans to release 31 new and returning original series, two dozen original feature films and documentaries, a wide range of stand-up comedy specials and 30 original kids series -- available at the same time to members everywhere.

While largely available in English in most new countries, Netflix today added Arabic, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese to the 17 languages it already supports.

"From today onwards, we will listen and we will learn, gradually adding more languages, more content and more ways for people to engage with Netflix," said Hastings. "We're looking forward to bringing great stories from all over the world to people all over the world."

Netflix will not yet be available in China, though the company continues to explore options for providing the service. It also won't be available in Crimea, North Korea and Syria due to U.S. government restrictions on American companies.

Since Netflix launched its streaming service in 2007, the service has expanded globally, first to Canada, then to Latin America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan to include 60 countries.

John Callaham
John Callaham
83 Comments
  • That's good. Equal opportunity binge watching! Posted via the Windows Central App for Android because I am unfortunately with Sprint
  • Is there a competitor to Netflix on this scale?
  • In terms of already deployed capacity....Nobody short of the cable operators have that kind of investment and even they don't operate in so many markets. The only valid competoitor in my mind with the technological prowess, money and will power to compete with Netflix is Amazon. They actually host netflix points of presence  in various datacentres around the US, if not the world.
  • Not exactly equal opportunity. The US version of Netflix has way better content than the Canadian version.
  • That's not the fault of Netflix. Content rights in Canada are hoarded by Rogers, Bell and Shaw.
  • That makes sense.  Still, sucks for us.
  • Any list of all the new markets?
  • I was wondering the same. but, i searched. https://help.netflix.com/en/node/14164
  • Why can't I see the new countries where I is available?
  • Looks like this is old one. Russia that was mentioned in title is not in the list/map
  • It is on the list but not on the map yet.
  • It was updated after my comment xD
    Nice to see that Netflix available in my country. I hope MS store will follow in reasonable future.
  • I hope it will appear soon.
  • There is just 87 countries.
  • Thanks. I know for sure this list was modified cause Netflix wasn't available in Greece until today and they added it in the list. Maybe the list is being gradually updated.
  • Awesome!!! Downloading the right now. Finally in India. Now waiting for mix radio to start vouchers and spotify to come to india.
  • Mix radio. Yes waiting
  • They need to support Thailand and have more Thai content. Also it's ridiculous that after I watch a Thai movie, they start recommending all asian films. Don't they know the difference between Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, etc.? I should be able to tell Netflix to only show me movies with audio in a Thai and English.
  • Well Netflix is not the only one guilty of that lol.
     
  • Y the **** groove isn't there yet in India?
  • Cool, working in south africa as well, finally
  • What's cool about working in South Africa? Just wondering thanks.
  • The comma kurtd. The comma.
  • Lmao, you just made my day.
  • Sorry, forgot the comma after just wondering, thanks.
  • South Africa has internet capable of streaming Netflix without lag? HIGH FIVE for AFRICA now do something with the starving people
  • Wow. The ignorance is strong in this one.
  • What a ****. Posted from my Note 5
  • Not only that, those guys kill each other on the streets, that's their main concern, where to buy more guns...
  • Why would anyone wanna pay for something they can download for free on a torrent site. Netflix still isn't a replacement for a 4K STB.
  • Guilt. Legal stuff.
  • Convenience. If my friends and I are being lazy and want to watch something real quick, it's usually so much easier just to quickly pull it up on Netflix and stream it than deal with the fuss of torrenting it. Especially if you want to watch on say, a TV. I still occasionally torrent content not available on Netflix, but Netflix is definitely my first stop because it's so damn easy to use.
  • Exactly
  • Plus if you have a smart tv, you don't need a STB at all just a netflix sub and a usb hdd for the TV functions. Albeit most smart tv's are fustratingly clunky when it comes to pausing live TV.
  • If you don't know why, no answer will suffice. But do know that what goes around comes around.
  • So where do we get a full list of the announced markets? Searched all tech sites, nothing.
  • 4 questions above yours
  • Well! Finally! Guys but the app still isn't available in the Indian market! At least for Windows! Any ideas?
  • netflix.com .... try it.
  • ....but wen in india ...lol /s
  • Yes?
  • Wen in Antarctica?
  • Wen in uranus?
  • Waz already there; rinse and repeat.
  • Hopefully unblock us will support the new markets. Find mostly everything is available on some market somewhere. With sky and amazon in the UK lots of stuff is jumbled up between the three.
  • I hope it comes to South Africa...
  • Its Available buddy
  • Link to download? Cant find in the store yet!
  • When in Mars?
  • Internet first bub. Though, you've gotta wonder what would happen if someone went there expecting it to work, heh.
  • Finally! But Netflix app still not available for my region.
  • So the app of W10 is the one to bring these changes ?
  • When in Nigeria?
  • It's available in Nigeria https://www.netflix.com/getstarted?locale=en-NG
  • Hope they bring more series of other TV en film company's. One really big loss is Indiana jones the TV serie from the 90's. And series like stargate middle , star trek enz.
  • When in Greece?
  • What countries are included? Ξέρεις;
  • Pretty impressive to add 130 at one go! I travel a lot so this is highly welcomed.
  • North Korea, really? The reason - "US govt. restrictions on American companies (to do business there)". Else the DPRK's govt. would have permitted an Imperialist American company to do business there.
  • Really not. As they say.
  • I was being sarcastic.
  • Ok.. although I think a more properly formulated sarcastic comment would have been e.g. "Really, not in North Korea? Now that is surprising...". But now that you revised your commet the discussion is moot anyway. :)
  • And to think Netflix started over a $40 late fee at blockbusters.
  • Yay!!!! Finally! So.... What is it anyway!?? ;-p
  • Well, at least for us living in the US, a service where you can watch people say "f uc k" on TV instead of "bleeb" or "freaking" (in a shoddy voice over actors voice). In fact, in some of their stuff they not only say it, they actually do it. Well worth the $9.99/month. So yeah, kinda like HBO in that way.
  • I went to the Store to download Netflix and it says Netflix is no longer available.
  • Already have hundreds of tv channels via Sky Satellite. I certainly don't need any more subscription based services
  • "Netflix expands to 130 new countries."
    Small company like Netflix can pull this feat off, and with complex media licensing, yet Microsoft's apologists here and other sites are constantly making excuses as to why Microsoft can't launch out even sell their products in more than a handful of countries. Something like this should rightly shame Microsoft's Marketing department into waking from their long stupor.
  • THIS! MS, don't bother with your services. We've got Netflix already.
  • Netflix and Microsoft are completely different beasts... In noway are they one on one comparable!
  • @1Rahtid. XES,  Xbox Entertainment Studios was shut down last year.  
  • Netflix have pulled it off? No way. The content in Australia is terrible! There's hardly anything decent to watch except the original content.
  • Agree. Here as well in Saudi Arabia. New releases are not there.
  • It's available in Malaysia!! Hooray:)))
  • Good! With a VPN you have acces to all netflix content without border restriction! Powerrrrr to the people!!!
  • Got an email first thing this morning informing me that Netflix is finally available in the Philippines! :)
  • Not available in the only true Korea... Very well. Thou shall fear the wrath of dear supreme leader Kim Jong-Un and his hidrogenic farts, America!
  • I love it but the lack of content in Australia is terrible.
  • Good to Hear !!! But lets see how these countries welcome NETFLIX.
  • When in jimbalakadibaba?
  • Subtitles?
  • I was excited about Netflix. And once signed up. I was frustrated from the content !!!
  • netlix has nice app for windows phone very high quality