If you’ve got a grandfathered Netflix standard streaming plan that has you paying just $7.99 per month HD streaming, here’s your reminder that you’ll either be paying $9.99 come May for the same quality and the ability to watch content on two screens at a time, or will be stuck in standard definition on only one secreen. You’re not alone — an estimated 17 million customers in the U.S. will be affected by the change, and many of them aren’t aware of it.
Netflix first raised the price of its standard streaming plan — the middle tier between Basic and Premium — for new members by $1 in May 2014.
At that time, Netflix told customers that they’d be releasing members from price grandfathering for the Standard plan in two years, and reminded investors of the coming change in January of 2016.
Netflix confirmed to Consumerist that later this month, UK members will be the first to be “ungrandfathered,” followed by members in other areas next month.
“Beginning in May, the price update is rolling out elsewhere based on member billing periods,” Netflix said in an emailed statement to Consumerist. “Impacted members will be clearly notified by email and within the service, so that they have time to decide which plan/price point works best for them.”
It’s a good thing those customers will be reminded: Business Insider, citing analysts at UBS that estimate the change will affect about 37% of US subscribers, or 17 million people, notes a recent JPMorgan survey that says around 80% of those that will be affected by the plan didn’t know the price hike was coming.
If you are a newer member affected by the price increase last October, however, you’ll be able to hold onto the price for your plan until October of this year, Netflix says, following a one-year price holding period.
Here’s how the prices will break down for everyone, eventually:
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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