To Netflix or not to Netflix? : A guide to on-demand TV viewing

With all the hype surrounding the recent launch of Netflix, the internet video-on-demand streaming service, in Belgium you might be wondering: should I go ahead and sign up, or is it worth it to shop around?

Here’s a quick guide to your main options for television and film streaming services in Belgium and how Netflix stands up.

Netflix

Brand new in Belgium, this American company has long been the king of on-demand internet streaming of television and movies in the US. In operation since 1999, when it launched as a DVD-rental-by-mail service, Netflix has been offering US clients internet streaming access to its library since 2007.

As of this month, Netflix became available in Belgium with services starting at €7.99 per month. Its formula remains the same as in other countries: you pay a monthly fee for access to an enormous digital library of films and television series, which you can then watch online: cheaper than cable with none of the commercials.

In the US, Netflix has taken the television world by storm. Over the last years, it has been expanding to other countries, including Canada, Mexico and the UK. Most recently, the company entered the European market in countries like France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and, of course, our little Belgium.

In 2012, the company also stepped behind the camera and began producing original content, including the hugely popular series Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, which premiere exclusively on Netflix – a move that represents a nail in the coffin of traditional cable television.

Google Play

Anticipating the launch of Netflix in Belgium, Google rushed to the online streaming scene, and made its Google Play media library available to Belgium in May earlier this year.

Play is media a la carte, so instead of paying a monthly fee like Netflix, you pay per film or episode, typically costing €3 to rent and between €9 and €15 to buy. With rentals, you have 48 hours to watch the film or episode and it can only be viewed once. The system also requires a Chromecast, a device that costs about €35 and plugs into your television, enabling it to use Play.

While a good option for the occasional movie night, you’ll quickly reach Netflix’s €7.99 cost for a monthly subscription which would let you watch whatever you want as many times as you want. And of course, Play doesn’t offer the Netflix series.

Apple TV

Yet another option is Apple TV, which has been available in Belgium since 2011. Similar to Google Play, Apple TV is an a la carte service that involves buying a box (costing €99) that hooks up to your television and allows you to rent or buy films and series through iTunes.

With similar pricing to Play, Apple TV’s main selling point is that it makes the media you purchase available on all your mobile devices, so you can watch your library from anywhere, not just your couch.

Your local internet provider

Another way to access on-demand viewing is through your internet provider. Both Belgacom and Voo offer on-demand services.

With Belgacom, Belgian news and weather programmes are free, but you will pay €3 to €5 per episode or film to rent. However, you can also purchase a €14.95 per month Movies and Series Pass that will give you unlimited access to their catalogue. The catalogue is not as comprehensive as Netflix’s or the other international companies’, however you will likely find more options for Belgian programming.

Netflix is currently in talks with Belgacom and cable providers to offer Netflix decoders with cable packages, which would give people who do not own all the newest mobile technology a chance to use Netflix through their televisions.

To watch out for

One streaming option that hasn’t yet reached Belgium is Amazon Instant Video, whose large library and competitive prices makes it a main rival of Netflix in the US.

In the States, Amazon’s streaming service offers both approaches to getting on-demand. You can choose to rent or buy a specific series or film and pay a la carte, or an unlimited subscription to the service comes free with a paid subscription to Amazon Prime, which also offers other advantages like free shipping on Amazon purchases, a feature that might also be attractive to a Belgian audience.

For now though, assuming its library offers what people are looking for, it looks like Netflix’s price-to-library ratio has a good chance of cornering the market for anyone watching more than two programmes a month.