While it's never pleasant to be facing a price hike, Netflix customers can't say they weren't warned. The streaming giant announced it would be increasing the monthly subscription fee for long-term customers two years ago.

From the end of this month a large number of Netflix customers on the €7.99 per month tariff will be faced with an option; either pay up €9.99 per month for continued HD service or remain on the €7.99 but receive Standard Definition content.  

Netflix provided us with the following statement: 

"The prices taking effect were previously announced in May 2014 and follow a two-year period of holding prices to the previous level as a thank you to members. Last October’s price increase for newer members included a one-year hold and will go into effect in October of this year. Later this month, members in the UK and Ireland will begin to be ungrandfathered. Beginning May, the price update is rolling out elsewhere based on member billing periods. Impacted members will be clearly notified by email and within the service, so that they have time to decide which plan/price point works best for them."

The company's "thank you" to customers will come to an end and bring everyone that wants to consume HD Netflix content onto the one price plan. 

Value

While a €2 monthly increase may feel substantial, I have been thinking quite a bit about the value I get from my account for less than a tenner a month. Earlier this year I wrote about why I no longer watch TV, and Netflix is a huge part of that. I pay my TV license every year but don't consume live-TV in a traditional way. That bothers me.

House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are three Netflix originals which I would pay the fee for alone. We're going to see an increase in the amount of original content being produced by the streaming company and I want to be able to enjoy it in HD.