Netflix to offer 'family' plan with double the number of video streams

LOS GATOS, Calif., April 23 (UPI) -- U.S. streaming video service Netflix has announced a new "family" plan that will allow up to four devices to play video from one account simultaneously.

Under the current $7.95 a month subscriber plan, only two programs can be streamed simultaneously under one account, but Netflix, apparently believing large families are often cramped by that limitation, will double the streams for $11.95 a month, arstechnica.com reported Tuesday.

Netflix did not announce a date for the availability of the new plan other than to say the option would be added in the United States "shortly."

Netflix said although it expects "fewer than 1 per cent of members" to opt for the new price plan, "For the relatively few folks who bump up against the two simultaneous stream limit, we've provided a new option," Netflix spokesman Jonathan Friedland said.