French broadcaster Canal Plus has announced a deal that will let its pay-TV subscribers bundle Netflix as part of a new package. Customers will be able to add the package for a limited launch price of EUR 15.00 per month to Canal Plus' entry-level pay-TV tariff, which currently costs EUR 19.90/month. The service will become available in France from 15 October, and at a later date in Poland. Canal Plus will also give its subscribers the choice to add Netflix's plans to their existing pay-TV offer on the most recent STB models.
The broadcaster said that the package launching in mid-October will combine its Cine Series add-on and Netflix's mid-tier 'Standard' subscription. This mid-tier plan offers access to the streaming platform on two screens in HD quality and is worth EUR 11.99/month, while Canal Plus' Cine Series add-on is currently available online at the discounted price of EUR 10/month and bundles over 20 thematic channels from partners such as OCS and Disney.
According to the French press, the cost of the new package will increase from EUR 15.00 to EUR 30.00 per month after Christmas. The launch offer will also include Canal+ Series, the SVoD service dedicated to TV series that Canal Plus introduced in March for EUR 6.99/month.
Netflix has successfully been growing its subscriber base, which now reportedly reaches more than 6 million in France. In contrast, Canal Plus has been struggling to hold on to customers for its pay-TV offering and this negative trend has continued in the first half of 2019. The broadcaster saw its direct base fall to 4.58 million as of June, while subscriptions via its wholesale partners declined to 3.08 million.
