Netflix has confirmed they will be launching in the Middle East soon. In an email to IGN ME, Netflix’s Joris Evers said, “We plan to complete our global expansion by the end of 2016. Of course the Middle East is part of that, hence our hiring.” [Source]
Around 10 days back a local redditor noticed that Netflix had changed their usual error message while trying to access Netflix from his Roku device. The usual error message “Sorry, Netflix hasn’t come to this part of the world yet” was replaced with “Good news! Netflix will be coming soon to this part of the world. Stay tuned.” Now it’s actually confirmed which is pretty interesting news.
I wonder if the regional library of films and shows will be similar to that of the US. But I think I’m even more curious to see how this will affect OSN as well as the other regional streaming services like Telly.
47 replies on “Netflix Coming to the Middle East in 2016”
Goodbye OSN
I partially unsubscribed OSN.
im curious as to whether censorship would be an issue, i really hope not. if its anything like their censors at the movies here then i will just stick to my dns thing cause it works great.
It shouldn’t, OSN doesn’t censor anything.
That’s not true. I watch “Last week tonight with John Oliver” and some jokes are cut. I confirmed this by comparing the same episode on YouTube. The censored jokes are usually criticisms of GCC countries.
it actually does..They’re very much against showing ‘gay relationships’ on screen.. and some nude scenes.
I don’t think so, Modern Family is on OSN (gay relationship) and Game of Thrones as well (tons of nude scenes).
They censor the “gays” kissing & sex scenes on How to Get Away with Murder
Been using Netflix and Spotify for years. Netflix you need unblock-us.com or a good VPN.
We all have been using Netflix, spotify and Hulu with vpns or smart dns’s, but now its “officially” coming which means you won’t need a vpn anymore.
Content won’t be the same as US.
Obviously but the question is how similar.
Why not the content be the same?
Netflix Australia has different content than US, we use VPN here to get US content, as long as you have subscription, its a matter of detecting location, hence VPN.
Mark I couldn’t use Hulu or even Sony PS Vue while I could use NetFlix. I am using SmartDNS as recommended by you.
Hulu says my location is still Kuwait.
I am using PS3.
any suggestions?
Obvious game plan, YouTube Red goes online on 28th Oct.
Its US only. Atleast for now
Most of the stuff on Netflix (Middle East) will probably be old and available on torrents 3 years ago. The only worthwhile online video service would be something with live programming like NFL GamePass which has been available worldwide for 4 years and counting.
I think if ESPN was to go online live, it would rock (the full feed, not just college sports). The same is true for many sports channels. Of course, this means outfits like Bein would have to close down. Also, the pressure on bandwidth would be enormous such that our feeble networks would crash daily.
Why would that be the case? OSN had pretty recently stuff so there shouldn’t be a reason why Netflix wouldn’t as well.
Exactly, if OSN has it, this means Netflix cannot have it at the same time. This leaves us with old, recycled stuff with some Arabic programming thrown in the mix.
Americans in Europe complain about Netflix not having new content like in the US, especially Netflix exclusives and network premieres.
If that is the case for Europe, imagine what it will be like for the Middle East.
Nonetheless, Netflix will probably be useful as an archival material repository for someone who wants to watch The Godfather II or Star trek 3 on a whim.
Well, you should know I have checked several Netflix for UK, Japan, Mexico, and more, and I will tell you one thing, you will find Arabic shows for sure, at least I will have Netflix on my Ipad, or Smart TV, which will make it alot easier then.
however I do change IP to find specific show, and there is a site that gives you search capability of which country you find the show, pretty epic.
btw, I finish all Star Trek TV shows, which goes 5-6 TV shows and each show has like 7 seasons, not mentioning all the movies.
Best value ( or free ) VPN please? Any ideas ?
Hola Plus for Google Chrome, it’s an adds on, and it’s free, only for PC,however if you wanted to use for ipad you need paid.
I watched Red Dawrf as well Battlestar Glactica on UK.
in the mean time its all about popcorn time
Yes! I can finally ‘Netflix and Chill’ with friends now. 😉
https://fusion.net/story/190020/netflix-and-chill/
Netflix on ” Zain ” + ” Viva ” + ” Oreedoo ” = a big no no :3
on Mada = Yes 😛
on Qnet/Fastelco/Kems..etc = Yes
Why?
Do the 4g networks cause problems?
No Because Streaming will be eating up your bandwidth/data limit. for example :
if you are watching a ep of anime that is running on full HD you are looking at stream size of 200MB+, now imagine if you watched lets say 6 EPs a day so you have a total of 1.2GB Per 6 Episodes then you are watching anime like that for a whole month which gives a total of 36GB per month.
Viva gives alot data limit, I think mine will give about a 100GB Per Month which is ” Good Enough ” for streaming not downloading games, but lately viva became EXTREMELY bad for streaming.
Viva is cheapest in terms of how much data it gives you, compared to other companies.
Ooredoo offers 100GB for 10KD or 200GB monthly for 12 KD, but I do agree with you, the mobile data service is not reliable enough for me to trust it for Netflix.
aha… thanks 🙂
Don’t think its a problem, with 1000Gb from Zain.
Zain 1TB a Month = 20 KWD = 240 a year << Nice Offer, but 20KWD a month good bye wallet.
Viva 100GB a Month = 9 KWD = 108 a Month, if you order it online you pay 7.5 KWD a month = 90 KWD << Good Offer
Oreedo 200GB a Month = 12 KWD = 144 KWD << it's good but still meh
Oreedo 30GB a month = 7.5 KWD = 90 KWD << Sucks
Mada " Unlimited " a month = 10 KWD = 120 KWD << Nice but crap internet speeds.
That's for portable internet.
———-
Land Line
Fast Telco , Qnet , Kems , Gulf net
all same prices and unlimited internet lowest will start for around 38 KWD a year for 1MB Speed
10MB Speed = 170 KWD or less per year with " unlimited data /internet / bandwidth "
NetFlix on my Zain works like a charm.
while on Viva couldn’t resolve the IP/DNS, so is the case with GulfNet, the speedtest gives below 1MB even while without DNS hitting 10MB.
Emailed OSN two weeks ago about a broken remote… Still waiting for an answer… Hope Netflix kicks their butt.
Hi, could you send me your contact number to arrange for it.
The only thing that might affect the content is the licensing. If a license is not purchased for MENA region or the region that Kuwait will be part of, then the related item will not be available. There is now something called ICFLIX. Did anyone try it?
Heard of it, downloaded but didn’t subscribed it, checked only free contents which are very less.
Even Zain and Viva are giving offers for free susbcripton of ICFlix upon new connections.
What if Netflix wont be available in Kuwait? What if its only available in places like Dubai, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, etc.?
Then OSN will keep sucking money from poor.
Use a decent, paid for, VPN.
it will be in Kuwait, because we are receiving the same message when connecting from here, Kuwait.
Netflix has put a huge strain on the internet infrastructure in the US, a first world country with a pretty decent infrastructure. Imagine what will happen to all our internet if every talal, fahad, and ahmed start using it here.
Good point but keep in mind we also torrent a lot here. Netflix should reduce that.
I don’t think people who pirate will go pay money to watch 😛
All I really care about is Netflix original content like House of Cards, Narcos, Orange is the new Black etc… but it would be interesting to see if they eventually produce taboo-busting Arabic content!
On an unrelated note: Can you guys NOT post your workarounds on online? We don’t want to get busted!
I doubt Netflix Middle East will have same programme library as the US. I used to live in Canada and Netflix there didn’t have all the programmes of Neflix US.