Netflix earlier announced on the Consumer Electronics Show that they have rolled out the service globally to 130 new markets which includes Kenya. This expansion was indeed a surprise and questions may arise of what is it exactly.
How to watch content on Netflix
Just like any other online company, you need to login on netflix.com and create your own account. The process will include you adding your credit card information so as to pay for the service. There are several ways to enjoy Netflix content: On a computer, your smartphone/tablet and some third party decoders. On desktop/personal computer, you can login on the main site and stream or if you have Windows 10, download the Netflix application. The Netflix app is also available on Android, iOS , Windows Phone , on Chrome and on gaming consoles like the PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. You can also access Netflix content on media players like Apple TV.
Pricing plans
- Basic is the cheapest plan that goes for $7.99 a month ( Kshs 816 at the current rates) although you will have to be content with Standard Definition programming and only one screen at a time
- Standard is the recommended plan that goes for $9. 99(Kshs 1020) a month. This allows you to watch HD content on 2 screens at a time.
- The Premium plan goes for ($11.99) (Kshs 1224) but you get a lot for your money. You can watch on 4 screens at a time and in addition to what the other plans offer, you can watch in 4K since Netflix streams some content in that resolution.
How fast should your internet connection be in order to stream content be?
Well, generally you need a good internet connection to be able to watch TV shows or movies on Netflix at a respectable resolution (In my case here, up-to HD). However, Netflix knows that not all locations in the world have fast broadband and they actually published the recommended speeds for various resolutions
| Bitrate (kbps) | Resolution |
| 235 | 320×240 |
| 375 | 384×288 |
| 560-750 | 512×284 |
| 1050 | 640×480 |
| 1750 | 720×480 |
| 2350-3000 | 1280×720 (HD) |
| 4300-5800 | 1920×1080 (Full HD) |
| Over 25000 | 3840×2160 (UHD) |
Content available
There is a large collection of TV shows and movies that are available in the Netflix repository. However don’t expect to find every show or movie that would want to watch thanks to licensing issues in different countries. There is still a ton of content available and you won’t be disappointed. The company is also is known for investing and streaming locally produced content (Example Sense8 was shot in Kenya), so there could be more in the future.
If you want to access content that is not available in your country, you can use normal VPNs like Anonymox and TunnelBear. However, since these VPNs affect the whole browser when you want to use Netflix on your computer a computer, use one that is specific to Netflix and an example is Smartflix.
Point to note: You cannot screenshot while on the Android Netflix app. Yes, try it and see. This makes sense since the content is DRM protected and the company doesn’t want you to be sharing screenshots of what you are watching (and in the process spoiling for everyone). You can also take a look at a detailed comparison between Netflix and the existing TV service providers here.
