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Netflix promises ‘to invest in French society’

American video streaming service Netflix has announced it is coming to France in September and has promised to invest in French society. Rumours are still flying around online about how much the service will cost per month.

Netflix promises 'to invest in French society'
Netflix is set to launch in France this September. Photo: Jason Merritt/AFP

The California-based firm, which has found huge success with series such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, said in May it would launch in France and five other European countries, but gave no details about start dates.

But on Monday Netflix said in its quarterly earning statement that it would start in France, along with Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg, in September.

"This launch into markets with over 60 million broadband households will significantly increase our European presence and raise our current  international addressable market to over 180 million broadband households," it said in a statement.

Speaking at a press conference the CEO Reed Hastings promised to invest in French TV and make an original production in France.

"We want to invest in French society and French content. And we want to give an avenue for French content to get out around world," said Hastings.

“We’re looking to make some investments with original content. So instead of House of Cards, it might be House of Versailles," he joked.

“That’s not literally the kind of thing it would be – but something like that, where it’s a big French production that’s not just for France, but for the whole world.”

Netflix did not give details about the cost of a monthly subscription in France. In the USA it costs $7.99 a month (€5.90).

But rumors flying around on the internet, including an alleged picture of the sign-up screen for Netflix, claims the prices will range from €7.99-11.99 per month depending on whether a customer wants the service in multiple screens (mobile and TV)  and in HD. 

Up until now, fans of Netflix series have had to find other ways to watch the shows in Europe, including illegally downloaded and posted versions.

Netflix launched in 1997 as a DVD rental company. 

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