MarketWatch photo illustration/iStockphoto, Netflix
Netflix Inc. and Comcast Corp., once bitter rivals, are more closely binding their fortunes together after a couple of years of detente.
The companies said Friday that Comcast will begin bundling Netflix with plans for cable TV, phone and internet starting this month. The integration effectively allows customers to pay for both Netflix and Comcast services on one bill, through Comcast.
The deal marks Netflix’s first billing integration with a U.S. cable operator, a move that will make it easier for Comcast customers to sign up and pay for the streaming service as Netflix’s U.S. market matures.
The pact also marks a milestone in a gradual shift in strategy for Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, which for years viewed Netflix as a competitor.
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