Telenor, Netflix to provide video streaming in 13 nations
Telenor Group and Netflix have agreed to enter a long-term strategic partnership to provide their members in 13 countries with a world-class video streaming experience.
The agreement covers Telenor’s large mobile and fixed-line footprint in Asia and Europe and includes multiple touchpoints with customers, such as set-top-box integration, mobile payments and joint marketing activities.
Gunnar Sellag, chief marketing officer for Telenor, said the company’s aim is to provide the best and most relevant digital services to its large global footprint and partnering with the world’s largest Internet TV network is one big step towards this.
“In addition to offering seamless entertainment on the mobile and set-top boxes through our large footprint in mobile-first countries in Asia, we can now enable customers to experience Netflix for the very first time through facilitating easy subscription payments via their mobile bill,” he said.
As a first step in this partnership, Telenor is the first TV distributor in Norway to integrate Netflix in its set-top box for Canal Digital Cable customers.
Through the agreement, Telenor will bring critically acclaimed original Netflix series and a wide range of movies and kids’ programming to its members through its Canal Digital Cable TV platform, called “T-We”.
The updated platform, including new streaming services like Netflix, is also representing the first step into a new TV era for Telenor customers.
More set-top-box integrations in further markets are planned.
“With this global partnership and thanks to more than 1,000 hours of new original Netflix content slated for 2017, Telenor’s customers will be able to seamlessly access and enjoy all the best entertainment in one place” says Bill Holmes, head of business development at Netflix.
Through the partnership, Telenor has the technology to provide customers with the opportunity to sign up and pay for Netflix subscription through Telenor billing.
Once connected to Telenor’s Global Backend, a common infrastructure for all 13 companies, partners and third-party digital providers, services can be scaled globally.
To provide customers with the best possible Netflix experience, Telenor is now an Open Connect Partner.
Servers from Netflix’s content delivery network Open Connect are embedded in Telenor’s network, putting content closer to the customers seeking to view it.