Photo: Animation Xpress

The popular streaming platform, Netflix, announced on Nov 12 that it would extend its free streaming offer to Vietnam, according to Nasdaq.

Vietnam is the only country in Asia where the streaming service is trying this at the moment, and the second worldwide to experience the Free Plan, after Kenya. The offer aims to get people to have a taste of the shows to bring more people to the platform.

"Our free plan is a great way for anyone in Vietnam with an Android mobile phone to explore Netflix completely free of charge and without any advertisements. You will have access to some of the best titles from our catalog, as well as personalized recommendations and parental controls," the streaming platform said on its website.

In a blog post, Cathy Conk, Netflix’s Director of Product Innovation, said: “At Netflix, we believe that great stories have the ability to uplift us, move us and bring us closer to each other. If you’ve never watched Netflix before, the Free Plan is a great way to experience these stories for yourself. And if you like what you see, it’s easy to upgrade to one of our paid plans so you can enjoy our full catalog, even more features, and the option to enjoy Netflix on your TV or laptop.”

Photo: VNA

How to register for Netflix's Free Plan?

According to Advanced Television, to avail off the offer, one needs to have an Android phone where the users will have to install the application. All users have to do is enter an email, confirm they are 18 or over and create a password. Once in, they can immediately start watching a number of Netflix series and films including titles such as Squid Game, The Witcher, Money Heist, Kingdom, and more.

The service is restricted to mobile phones for now. Even in the free plan, members can enjoy tailored recommendations, create up to five profiles (including kids’) for everyone in, and add shows and movies to ‘My List’ to watch later. For those with children at home, can access popular parental controls like maturity settings for age-appropriate entertainment, profile PINs to lock off access to one or all profiles, and even the ability to monitor what the little ones have been watching, according to Animation Xpress.

“In the coming months, the download feature will also be made available in the free plan so that you can watch your favorite Netflix shows while on the go and even without an Internet connection,” the OTT giant said.

Photo: TechCrunch

Netflix's previous free services

Netflix, available in over 190 countries, has experimented with a range of plans in recent years to lure customers in developing markets. For instance, it began testing a $3 mobile-only plan in India in 2018 — before expanding it to users in several other countries.

The company has previously supported free trials in many markets, offered a tiny portion of its original movies and shows to non-subscribers, and has run at least one campaign in India when the service was available at no charge over the course of a weekend.

However, the new plan in Kenya and later in Vietnam is remarkable. On its past earnings calls, Netflix executives have insisted that they study each market and explore ways to make their service more compelling to all. The ability to sign up without payment information lends credibility to such claims. Many individuals in developed countries don’t have a credit or debit card, which renders services requiring such payment instruments at the sign-up inaccessible to them, according to TechCrunch.

Netflix and BHD Vietnam Organizing 1st ever Dubbing Talent Pool Netflix and BHD launched the Voice of Wonder - a voice-over contestwith the aim of finding potential voice actors over the age of 16 in ...

Top 20 Best Horror Movies To Stream Right Now on Netflix Halloween is coming, and nothing is better than some good and spooky horror films. Here is a list of carefully selected 20 horror movies on ...

Squid Game Star Jung Ho Yeon Become Second Most-Followed Korean Actress On Instagram Following the series' sensation, “Squid Game” star Jung Ho Yeon has overtaken Song Hye Kyo to become Korean actress with the second-highest number of followers ...