Netflix’s prices are going up. The news comes after NBCUniversal announced its recently launched streaming service has already secured 22 million customers.
The streaming media company is raising the prices on its standard and premium plans. Its standard plan is now $14 a month, up $1 a month from last year. Its premium subscription will go up $2 to $18 a month. Its basic plan remains unchanged at $9 a month.
Netflix”s stock rose 5% following the news.
- Peacock update
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, has nabbed 22 million sign ups.
That’s an impressive number for two reasons: The first is that it already puts Peacock within striking range of its long-term sign up goals. NBCUniversal said in January that it expects Peacock to reach 30 million to 35 million active accounts by 2024.
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“We are exceeding our expectations on all engagement metrics in only a few months,” Brian Roberts, the CEO of NBCUniversal’s parent company, Comcast, said on Thursday.
The second reason that Peacock’s sign-up numbers are notable is that Peacock has found a user base without two huge draws: The Olympics and “The Office.”
NBCUniversal was hoping to use its telecast of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to help boost attention for the new service over the summer. However, the coronavirus pandemic forced the games to be postponed until next year.
As for “The Office,” which is one of the most popular series in streaming, it won’t be exclusive to the service until after it leaves Netflix next year.
Peacock, which had a soft launch in April before rolling out nationally in July, also has the added the benefit of coming with the low sign up price of $0.
The service has a free, ad-supported option and an ad-free subscription that costs as much as $9.99.
Peacock offers more than 600 films and 400 series including “Saturday Night Live” and “Parks and Recreation” as well as blockbusters from Universal Pictures.
