Rather than eschewing its potential competition, Comcast is getting cozier with streaming giant Netflix. The two companies have expanded their partnership, announcing Friday that Netflix will soon be able to be bundled with new and existing Xfinity packages.
Pricing for the packages has not been announced, but the cable operator said it will launch “a variety” of initial offers starting this month, with price and availability varying by market.
Under the agreement Netflix subscription billing will be handled by Comcast, with customers receiving a single monthly statement.
The deal comes following the successful integration of Netflix on Comcast’s Xfinity X1 platform in 2016. Comcast said that Netflix is now one of the top voice commands and on demand services used on its X1 platform, with nearly 50 percent of X1 customers actively using the service.
“Netflix offers one of the most popular on demand services and is an important supplement to the content offering and value proposition of the X1 platform,” said Sam Schwartz, chief business development officer at Comcast Cable, in a statement. “Netflix is a great partner, and we are excited to offer its services to our customers in new ways that provide them with more choice, value and flexibility. The seamless integration of Netflix with the vast Xfinity entertainment library on X1 present a unique and comprehensive experience for customers.”
In March, Netflix inked a similar pack with British pay TV giant Sky, and last year T-Mobile began offering a free Netflix subscription to customers on the wireless carrier’s unlimited family plans.