Netflix expanding to Britain, Ireland

Netflix on Monday announced plans to expand its online streaming video service to Britain and Ireland next year. The Los Gatos, California-based company said it will begin offering movies and television shows over the Internet in Britain and Ireland in "early 2012." "Further details about the service, including pricing, content and supported devices, will be announced closer to launch," Netflix said in a statement. In the United States, Netflix also offers movies and TV shows on DVD by mail but it does not plan to offer a similar service in Britain and Ireland. Netflix launched in the United States in 2007, expanded to Canada last year and to 43 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean last month. Netflix, which currently has more than 25 million subscribers, suffered a backlash recently when it announced a price hike for customers who receive both the streaming and DVD-by-mail service. The company apologized for its handling of the move and also quickly backpedaled on a decision to separate the DVD rental service from the online streaming unit. Netflix shares were down 0.44 percent at $116.52 in late afternoon trading on Wall Street.