New Zealand streaming entertainment service Quickflix has responded to news that Telecom intends to launch a video streaming service in New Zealand in direct competition with the company.

After announcing plans to rebrand under the name of Spark, the telco giant also revealed plans to enter the internet TV market last week, with a standalone internet TV brand, ShowmeTV, to be launched later in the year.

"We note the news that Telecom intends to follow Quickflix into the video on demand market," says Paddy Buckley, Managing Director, Quickflix.

"We believe increased competition in this space is a good thing for Kiwis and that Telecom’s entry can help to build awareness among consumers.

"As the first such service to launch in New Zealand and as leader, not only do we stand to benefit from increased consumer awareness but we will now work even harder to deliver the best service for all Kiwis."

Buckley claims Quickflix are a company which is solely focused on delivering great entertainment, on demand and at an affordable price.

"Quickflix apps are embedded on all major smart TVs, game consoles, tablets and smartphones," he adds.

"We are also rapidly expanding our range of latest release movies and hit TV series from the major studios and we will continue to add more content over the weeks and months ahead.

"As a challenger brand, Quickflix is used to competing against much bigger companies.

"Telecom’s entry into the market will change the dynamics, which means new potential alliances and opportunities open up for us. We thank Kiwis for supporting Quickflix."