Netflix to launch in Austria in September

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 Austria and Germany and four 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 Austria, along with Germany, France, 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.

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

CEO Reed Hastings said that in Germany people will be able to buy Netflix subscriptions in supermarkets – and if successful this could extend to other countries in Europe.

Netflix launched in 1997 as a DVD rental company.