New York: Netflix has signed an agreement with Comcast, which will increase the US video-streaming service's programming, enabling smooth viewing, as announced by the two companies. The companies 'have established a more direct connection between Netflix and Comcast, similar to other networks, that's already delivering an even better user experience to consumers,' said the agreement on February 23. The financial details of the deal aren’t disclosed yet.
A Netflix spokesperson also added, “The agreement would help restore optimum streaming for some American Comcast broadband subscribers who had difficulty viewing Netflix's programming”. Until now, Netflix and its heavy traffic flow reached Comcast's network via bandwidth intermediaries, sometimes resulting in non-fluid streaming. The agreement comes 10 days after Comcast unveiled plans to swallow rival Time Warner Cable in a USD 45.2 billion mega-deal that triggered debate on the creation of a cable-Internet behemoth.
This merge can be seen as an opportunity for Comcast in positioning itself to fend off threats from streaming video services like Netflix, Amazon and HBO, which can offer an alternative to cable.
