Netflix Launches Mobile Only Plan At Rs. 199 For India

Netflix has officially announced a new mobile plan for the Indian market at a subscription fee of Rs. 199 per month. The plan will allow users to view content in standard definition (SD) on one smartphone or tablet at a time.

This is the Netflix's fourth Indian plan, in addition to the existing basic, standard and premium plans which are priced between Rs. 499 and Rs. 799.

To sign up for Netflix's mobile plan, users need to download the app or visit the website. Select the mobile plan for Rs. 199/month. Users need to add account details and can try the first month for free.

While launching this new plan, Netflix's director product, Ajay Arora, informed that Indian watch more on their mobiles than members any other country in the world -- and they love to download shows and films.

"We believe this new plan will make Netflix even more accessible and better suit people who like to watch on their smartphones and tablets -- both on the go and at home," he said.

Digital Subscription Grew 262%

According to a FICCI-EY 2019 report, the number of Indians who paid for any content in 2018 (not including those who consumed content through bundled telco offerings) increased from 7.5 million in 2017 to 12-15 million in 2018. The digital subscription market accordingly grew 262 percent to reach Rs.14.2 billion, of which the majority was video subscription.

However, telco bundling remained key with an estimated 60 percent of consumption coming from such offerings.

Interestingly, global digital platforms are buying more Indian content, and this is an opportunity for Indian content creators to showcase India's content prowess and make India a content creation hub for the global market. The opportunity for this can be significant, given that Netflix alone, with a budget of $12 - $13 billion, has a content budget comparable with India as a country.

Indians spend 30 percent of their phone time-and over 70 percent of their mobile data-on entertainment.