Euskaltel strikes 4K deal with Netflix, expands into new regions

Spanish regional cable operator Euskaltel has signed a deal to provide Netflix via its new 4K UHD TV boxes from next year and has separately unveiled plans to expand to other areas of Spain outside its existing markets of the Basque Country, Asturias and Galicia.

The deal with Netflix will see Euskaltel become the first operator in Spain to offer its customer a remote control featuring a dedicated Netflix button.

Francisco Arteche

Netflix will form part of Euskaltel’s new 4K offering from next year. Euskaltel Group customers who sign up for the 4K decoder will be able to content offered by Netflix in Spain including locally-produced original Las Chicas del Cable, Stranger Things, Narcos and 13 Reasons Why. Upcoming Netflix original films include Bright, starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton.

“With this partnership, we are pleased to offer seamless and fastest access to Netflix for Euskaltel’s customers, allowing them to enjoy amazing entertainment in the best possible picture resolution and in one place, just by clicking on the Netflix dedicated button of their remote control,” said Francisco Arteche, CEO of Euskaltel.

Separately, the Basque Country-based operator, which recently completed the acquisition of Zegona Communications-owned Asturias operator Telecable, has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its services to several neighbouring regions of Spain over the next five years.

Euskaltel plans to expand into Navarre, León, Cantabria and La Rioja, representing a market of about 1.6 million people, or 500,000 households collectively. The programme will kick off next year with a launch in Navarre, targeting about 150,000 homes.

Euskaltel will also expand its network reach in its existing markets of the Basque Country, Galicia and Asturias, with plans to add 800,000 homes passed and 6,200 businesses to its coverage zone.

The Navarre expansion will begin with the regional capital, Pamplona, and the adjoining town of Ansoain. To facilitate the move, Euskaltel has struck a network deal with Orange, allowing it to use the fibre-to-the-home network deployed by that operator. The agreement with Orange covers the building of new shared network infrastructure as well as wholesale access to Orange’s existing lines.

Euskaltel has set an objective of offering its fixed and mobile services to 78,500 additional homes in the Pamplona area next year, increasing to 150,000 over the next five years with the addition of Tudela, Alsasua, Etxarri-Aranatz, Huarte, Estella-Lizarra, Burlada, Valle de Egüés and Zizur Mayor, among others.

Euskaltel has set a target of achieving 20% penetration, giving it an additional 30,000 in Navarre by 2022. Euskaltel said it planned to invest €20 million in total in expanding its reach, including €10 million in Navarre.