The Netflix logo is shown in this illustration photograph in Encinitas, California October 14, 2014. Netflix Inc shares were down 3.1 percent at $435.28 after the announcement. The streaming video company will announced its quarterly result
IN PHOTO: The Netflix logo is shown in this illustration photograph in Encinitas, California October 14, 2014. Netflix Inc shares were down 3.1 percent at $435.28 after the announcement. The streaming video company will announced its quarterly results later on October 15. Picture taken October 14, 2014. Reuters/Mike Blake

The war on subscription video on-demand market, or SVOD, is about to get real with Netflix Australia’s impending launch. The Australian version of the popular U.S. streaming media service has announced partnership with Fetch TV ahead of its launch date.

Fetch TV, the pay-TV provider, is currently available in 170,000 homes and will be providing Netflix access to 85 percent of those subscribers with a second-generation box. This means its major ISP partners, Singtel-Optus, iiNet and M2, will have access to Netflix originals. The ISP partners make up roughly 40 percent of the broadband market. Fetch TV and Netflix Australia’s partnership also includes the New Zealand market.

Netflix has not revealed yet what content will be included for the Australian market, though director of corporate communications and technology, Cliff Edwards, promised that its catalogue would be “more rounded” than what the others provide. The local content would also help persuade Australians who are already subscribed to the U.S. Netflix through a virtual private network to switch to the upcoming local Netflix.

“Netflix tie-up represents a significant milestone for us, our ISP partners and 170,000 plus customers,” Fetch CEO Scott Lorson said. “We are now able to offer Australian consumers a world-class integrated entertainment offering at unprecedented value.”

Optus wouldn’t just stop with nabbing Netflix, though. Single-Optus chief executive Allen Lew said they would be partnering with others for Australia as well.

“The other people that share the [Fetch] platform don’t have a mobile base the size that we have and the Australian consumer … they are looking not just to have that type of content available in the homes and big screens, they want it available when they’re out and about as well,” he was quoted by the BRW as saying.

Netflix Australia is expected to launch at the end of March, and will be offering subscriptions from $9.99. It will be greeted with rivalry from streaming services Stan and the recently launched Presto.