Netflix is making a splash in Europe with red carpet parties and announcements with major carriers in France and Germany. The streaming video service started its European rollout with a party at a Paris night club on Monday followed by a bash in Berlin on Tuesday at the Komische Oper.
In France, Bouygues Telecom scored the first contract with Netflix, announcing that it will carry the company’s Subscription Video On Demand on its set-top boxes. Bouygues customers should be able stream Netflix directly through their televisions in November. The Bouygues announcement comes after the leading operator in France, Orange, said it would not carry Netflix on its set-top boxes.
In Germany, Netflix has a deal with Deutsche Telekom, which will offer the service on its Entertain IPTV set-top boxes. A similar agreement with Vodafone is reportedly under discussion.
In addition to France and Germany, Netflix plans to roll out services in Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The company is also looking at further expansion in eastern and southern Europe later this year. Netflix already has European operations in the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries.
More telecom news from Europe:
Orange offers to buy the Spanish telecom Jazztel for €3.4 billion ($4.41 billion). If successful, the acquisition could vault the Paris-based operator to No. 2 in Spain’s mobile market, ahead of rival Vodafone and behind Telefónica. This deal comes after a big acquisition by Vodafone in Spain earlier this year when it purchased cable operator Ono for €7.2 billion (about $9.33 billion).
After the Phones4U collapse, Vodafone and EE may buy some of the pieces. The U.K. device retailer Phones 4U closed 550 stores on Monday. Company founder John Caudwell blamed the failure partly on Vodafone and EE, which withdrew their business from his stores. Now, those same carriers are apparently eyeing some of the failing business’ stock and stores. EE has expressed interest in up to 80 of the stores. Vodafone has only confirmed that it is in talks with the administrators of the company.
Selection of new EU telecom leader questioned in Germany. Last week’s appointment of Germany’s Günther Oettinger to manage the European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society agenda didn’t please everyone in his home country. Critics say Oettinger, who previously held the commission’s energy post, does not have much experience in the digital realm.
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