NETFLIX TO LAUNCH AD-FUNDED SUBSCRIPTIONS

Netflix is to launch Basic with Adverts – a lower priced advert-supported plan – in November. Basic with Adverts will cost just £4.99 a month in the UK and will launch on 3 November at 4pm GMT.

Available in 12 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US. The current plans and members will not be impacted. Basic with Adverts complements our existing advert-free Basic, Standard and Premium plans.

Basic with Adverts offers all the features people expect from Netflix’s Basic plan: Video quality up to 720p/HD (now for both Basic with Adverts and Basic plans); average of 4 to 5 minutes of adverts per hour; a limited number of films and TV series won't be available due to licensing restrictions, which Netflix say they are working on; no ability to download titles.

At launch, adverts will be 15 or 30 seconds in length which will play before and during series and films.

A Netflix spokesperson said: "Basic with Adverts will launch just six months after we first announced the option of a lower priced adverts plan. None of this would have been possible without our team’s hard work or Microsoft’s extraordinary partnership...

"The switch from linear is happening at an ever increasing speed, with streaming now surpassing broadcast and cable in the US. We’re confident that with Netflix starting at £4.99 a month, we now have a price and plan for every fan...

"While it’s still very early days, we’re pleased with the interest from both consumers and the advertising community and couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead. As we learn from and improve the experience, we expect to launch in more countries over time."

Basic With Adverts launches Thursday 3rd November in the UK.