Reports indicate that Netflix may begin having a streaming only subscription within the next year. For those of you who have been enjoying the streaming video service of Netflix, but find the requirement of also having a subscription to their mail order DVDs unnecessary, there will be a gift coming your way soon in the form of new subscription programs.  Under the current plans you must also subscribe to at least their “one DVD at a time” plan to enjoy unlimited streaming.

According to FeedFlix, a site dedicated to everything related to the video rental service, video streaming is quickly surpassing the physical division of the company (see graph below)so a new subscription plan that caters to streaming customers only makes sense if this trend continues.  This also makes financial sense to the company as it will cut down on employment costs, mailers, and replacement DVDs as copies of films wear out.  While they have couse have costs associated with the bandwidth for feeding the streams to consumers, they can be considerably less than all of the physical goods they use, as well as be better for the environment.

Look for the new plan to premiere in 2010.