NETFLIX users are criticizing the streaming service for restricting content in its ad-supported subscription tier.
In a June 28 Reddit post, a user was shocked to realize they would have to upgrade their plan to unlock more content.
Their outrage triggered a chain of responses in which other users revealed that they had canceled their subscriptions due to the constant price increases.
“I stopped my subscription,” one user proclaimed, adding that he had resorted to pirating content.
“I spent the first forty years of my life watching cable TV, so ads don’t bother me at all,” said another user.
“But when I realized I wouldn’t have access to the full catalog if I chose an ad-supported plan, I quickly went from ‘That’s a price I’m willing to pay’ to ‘I think I’ll keep subscribing for a month a year to catch up.’ ‘”
Netflix launched its ad-supported plan in November 2022 for $6.99 per month.
It is available in 12 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
As indicated in the name, the plan allows commercials before or during the content, although Netflix has promised to “place ads during natural plot breaks for a more seamless experience.”
At the time of launch, the plan provided 720p video but no offline downloads and imposed limits on some content.
The quality has since been increased to Full HD, but some of the content remains hidden behind a lock icon.
Netflix even includes a warning on its website, blaming “licensing restrictions.”
It’s worth mentioning that the number of “blocked” programs has been steadily decreasing since the ad-free plan was introduced.
Sony and Universal remain the biggest holdouts, with some of Sony’s films and Universal’s TV shows under lock and key.
Complaints about rising prices for streaming services are not new. This year alone, all the major names in streaming have increased the cost of many subscriptions models.
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Max, for example, announced it would raise prices for its ad-free subscription tiers last month.
The basic ad-free plan now costs $16.99 per month instead of $15.99, while the standard 4K ad-free plan now costs $20.99 per month instead of $19.99.
Netflix itself announced that it would raise prices in October 2023, marking the first time it has done so in over a year.
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The ad-supported Basic plan and Standard plan have maintained their prices.
However, Basic plan subscribers now pay $11.99 per month, up from $2 per month, while Premium plan subscribers pay $22.99 per month, up from $19.99.
And it looks like the Basic plan won’t be around much longer.
A few months after raising the price, Netflix revealed that users would have until July 13th to use the service before switching to another subscription tier.
The company announced that it would end its Basic plan in January, starting with users in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Use Netflix on a computer or laptop? Try these useful shortcuts
Here are some useful keyboard shortcuts…
- Spacebar – toggle play/pause
- Enter – toggle play/pause
- F – full screen
- Esc – exit full screen
- Left arrow – go back 10 seconds
- Right arrow – 10 second fast forward
- Up arrow – increase volume
- Down arrow – decrease volume
- M – toggle mute
- Shift-Alt-Left Click – adjust the streaming bitrate (to improve or reduce video quality)
This, of course, sparked fury from customers who felt they were being deprived of options.
“It’s annoying to me how many people just accept these price hikes and ads,” wrote one Redditor.
“If people actually canceled their accounts, we could combat this crap, but of course most people won’t.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
