The US studio CBS will launch its streaming platform in Australia before the end of 2018.
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Speaking to media at a programming showcase in Los Angeles, the streaming platform's president and chief operating officer Marc DeBevoise said it would launch here in the fourth quarter of the year.
That means the local market's two leading streaming platforms Netflix and Stan could have a new competitor as early as October.
Speculation among US media, however, suggests a December launch is more likely.
The announcement today follows remarks made by CBS president Les Moonves on a phone conference call with investors two days ago.
"Based on our growth trajectory and the trends we see ahead … we we plan to double our initial goal in just two years," Moonves said.
"That doesn't even include the subscribers we plan to generate internationally," he said. "We have had early success in Canada and we are now getting ready to expand into Australia."
Star Trek: Discovery, one of the key launch titles for CBS All Access in the US market.
Speculation has surrounded the timing of a local CBS All Access launch since the CBS studio acquired the Ten Network last year.
It is still unclear whether the paid CBS All Access service would complement or replace Ten's free Tenplay catch-up streaming service.
One of the key elements of the CBS All Access launch strategy which is still being finalised is the strength of its content play.
Some of the key titles on the platform are owned by other broadcasters in the Australian market, mostly by output agreements which were signed before CBS's strategy for streaming shifted into the global marketplace.
Local rights to Star Trek: Discovery, for example, are owned in Australia by Netflix, and rights to The Good Fight are owned by SBS.
Another CBS All Access title No Activity is a US remake of an Australian comedy originated by the streaming platform Stan, which retains local rights to the US version of the show.
The second seasons of No Activity and Star Trek: Discovery, due later this year and early next year respectively, will go to Stan and Netflix respecively.
Newer series comissioned by CBS All Access in the US, such as Strange Angel, One Dollar and Tell Me A Story however, could be key titles used to launch the local platform.
Another contender is the remake of The Twilight Zone, which is due in the first quarter of 2019, and a new Star Trek series featuring the return of actor Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard.
Stan also owns the Australian rights to the CBS-owned Showtime library.
Stan is a joint venture between Fairfax Media, the publisher of this website, and Nine Entertainment.
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