NENT Group and Elisa to combine streaming services in Finland

NENT Group and Elisa to combine streaming services in Finland

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), the Nordic region’s leading streaming company, and Elisa, Finland’s market-leading telecoms operator, will combine their streaming services in Finland in Q4 2020. The combined standalone service will be called Elisa Viihde Viaplay and bring together Viaplay’s original Nordic productions, Hollywood films and series, and high-quality kids’ content with Elisa Viihde Aitio’s wide range of Finnish films and original series.

From 30 June, Viaplay ‘Films & Series’ and ‘Total’ customers in Finland will receive access to Elisa Viihde Aitio, while Elisa Viihde Aitio customers will be able to view Viaplay’s ‘Films & Series’ package. Effective 1 August, the monthly price of both Viaplay’s ‘Films & Series’ package and Elisa Viihde Aitio will be adjusted for existing customers to EUR 12.99 from EUR 9.99 and EUR 9.90, respectively. For new customers, the adjusted price will apply from 30 June. The price of Viaplay’s ‘Total’ package, which includes Viaplay’s premium sports offering in addition to ‘Films & Series’, will remain unchanged at EUR 34.99 per month.

Both services will continue to operate separately until a date to be specified in Q4 2020, when Elisa Viihde Viaplay, the combined streaming offering that brings together Viaplay’s ‘Films & Series’ package and Elisa Viihde Aitio’s content, will be made available. Elisa Viihde Viaplay will initially be priced at EUR 12.99 per month. The service will also offer an additional package including Viaplay’s sports content for a price that will be communicated in due course.

The combination of the offerings is expected to deliver accelerated subscriber growth. NENT Group will be responsible for the service’s technology and analytics, while Elisa will handle sales, marketing and customer support. Both parties will continue to invest in content for the service.

Anders Jensen, NENT Group President and CEO: “We continue to break new ground in streaming with the most innovative partnerships in the market. Elisa Viihde Viaplay will bring together the Nordic region’s leading streaming company and a Finnish pioneer in telecoms and digital services to take streaming to the next level in Finland – a country with one of the highest broadband penetration rates in the world. NENT Group has outstanding content delivered on a world-class technology platform, while Elisa is Finland’s market-leading communications service provider and has delivered a string of hit local drama formats. Elisa Viihde Viaplay is the perfect combination of our respective strengths – a standalone streaming service that will address the whole Finnish market and provide viewers with an even stronger and more diverse offering.”

Veli-Matti Mattila, Elisa CEO: “By joining forces with NENT Group we are able to offer Finnish customers an exciting combination of high-quality content with a strong focus on Finnish and Nordic original series. We expect viewers to embrace this innovative combined service that provides extensive content and represents excellent value for money. We look forward to working together to bring Elisa Viihde Viaplay to this fast-growing market later this year.”