Dstv Package And Price

[Carlito Roby]

DStv Compact Plus and DStv Access are the two packages that are getting price hikes that are greater than South Africa's inflation rate of 6%. DStv Access is, however, getting a sports injection in the form of access to content from ESPN, La Liga, SuperSport Variety 4 and the SuperSport Blitz channels.

To promote its relaunched Showmax video streaming service, MultiChoice will soon rebrand and reprogramme one of the M-Net packaged linear TV channels on DStv to carry a curated offering of the content on offer on Showmax to aid sampling. This will include locally produced series for the Showmax platform that DStv subscribers will be able to watch on the linear channel.

MultiChoice is also introducing what the Randburg pay-TV operator calls a "price guarantee" agreement, whereby DStv subscribers can ensure that their subscription fees remain fixed for the period of their contract.

"Our priority is to ensure that we continue to provide unparalleled entertainment, which includes local South African stories and the world's best sports. Subscribers can look forward to an array of exciting content such as Big Brother Mzansi as well as major sporting events like the SA20 Cricket and the Olympic games."

"As Africa's premier entertainment provider, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our customers. We have an excellent lineup of local and international shows and sports. Our customers can also look forward to continued savings on our DStv internet bundles, DStv insurance, and Namola."

While no price increase is ever truly welcome, DStv is strategically adding significant sports value to its lower-end packages. DStv Access subscribers will gain access to ESPN and La Liga, significantly boosting their sports lineup. This move makes the Access package more attractive for sports enthusiasts working with a tight budget. Additionally, DStv Compact Plus will also get a value boost with the inclusion of a Showmax subscription.

According to the notice signed by Multichoice CEO, John Ugbe, and sent to its subscribers and customers via email on Wednesday, a copy of which was sighted by our Correspondent, the new prices for DStv packages are Premium package will now cost N37,000 monthly as against the current N29,500 subscription fee.

DStv said subscribers on its Compact bouquet will now pay N15,700 as against N12,500 they are currently paying, while those on the Confam package are to pay N9,300, compared to N7,400 currently being paid.

For GOtv users, Multichoice said customers on its Supa Plus package will now be paying N15,700, from the current price of N12,500. Its Supa bouquet will now go for N9,600 as opposed to the current N7,600 being charged.

Pay television service provider, MultiChoice Kenya Limited has raised its DStv prices by up to six percent, marking the third time in a year it has adjusted its rates upward dealing a blow to the entertainment budgets of households and businesses.

The firm, which is a subsidiary of MultiChoice Group Limited has already notified customers of the new rates, with the DStv Premium package set for the biggest price jump to Sh10,500 from Sh9,900 effective April 1 while the Compact Plus package will cost Sh6,500 from Sh6,200.

MultiChoice Kenya did not give reasons behind the latest price review but the firm last year attributed price increments to increasing costs of businesses and depreciation of the shilling against the dollar.

The price increase comes at a time when many Kenyans are already facing economic hardships. The impact will vary depending on the package a subscriber uses. Premium DStv users will see the most significant jump (Sh600), while some GOtv packages have minimal increases (Sh20-21).

MultiChoice, a major satellite television service in Sub-Saharan Africa based in South Africa, recently announced fresh increases in prices on the DSTV and GOtv packages, saying the increase was necessitated by the rise in the cost of business operations.

While the new Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Charles Ebuebu, savoured the opportunity provided by Africast to introduce himself beyond the shores of this nation, penultimate week, another package awaited him in the office. Not palatable at all.

Without a moment of grace period whatsoever, frontline pay TV service provider, Multichoice Nigeria, announced an increase in the cost of its various programme bouquets because of the prevailing economic situation in the country, effective November 6, 2023.

The new DG will have to bear the anger and the red face of the various stakeholders. The subscribers would curse the inaction of a regulator that is compromised. That is always the easiest thing to say. Demonisation without proof.

The National Assembly would send multiple summons for Ebuebu to appear before them and explain why DStv would dare increase rates under his watch. I do not envy his shoes right now because this would be a very busy period for the new boss and his Commission, spiced by a frenetic level of recriminations and multilayer engagements with the hope of resolving a very serious problem.

Yes. A very serious problem. Perhaps more serious than the Electoral Act that was haphazardly passed by the National Assembly and then abused and misapplied by INEC, whose head nobody has held for incompetence and fatalistic failure in previous elections, including the off-season elections of last weekend.

This writer has been informed that the NBC has visited the National Assembly in respect of the increase in DStv subscription rates. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has also stepped in and would be fighting for consumer protection without thinking of the escalating cost of doing business in Nigeria. It is a serious matter that needs urgent attention. More serious than the cost of petrol that has moved from about N617 to over N640 and N700 depending upon your location in parts of the country.

Nigeria is up in stilts, struggling for survival and the people are raging over the cost of television bouquet which has nothing to do with the cost of food all over the country; in fact, which has no relationship with lots of people slipping into multidimensional poverty as a result of unreasoned government policies.

For instance, although the annual performance ended in March this year, with an addition of 1.6m subscribers, the organisation still made a troubling loss in its South Africa operations. The troubled economies of the various markets of operation has also increased the pressure on Multichoice, making desperate decisions like the recent subscription price increase in Nigeria, a survival imperative.

An abbreviated list includes: Michelin, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Shoprite, Mr Price, Etisalat, Surest Foam Limited, Deli Foods and MZM Continental. These are no good signs at all. In August this year, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) raised a cry that in spite of the heavy population of the country, corporate organisations were taking a flight because of the high cost of doing business and lack of basic infrastructure, including electricity.

DSTV dwells in the realm of conspicuous consumption, a menu designed for the rich guys in the society who would want to flip their remote to watch CNN or the latest movie flick from Hollywood. For them, Nollywood cannot satiate their voluble entertainment appetite. Instead there has to be a rich mix, the sort prepared by DSTV which, fortunately, actually has packages for the rich and those ailing for a living in our heartless society.

Does Multichoice as a business has the right to increase subscription rates? Absolutely yes. Can the NBC regulate or fix prices? The answer is no. Check all the books, including the National Broadcasting Commission Act CAP N11 and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Nothing supports the NBC to fix subscription rates or trouble any operator for deciding to do so. Yet, the National Assembly will pressure the NBC to do something to the delight of the subscribers who really would not want to pay for anything.

But here is a reality check. Multichoice runs a business and has considerable investment in Nigeria. Most of its operations are denominated in Dollars, whether in paying for content, hardware or even satellite space. And without exaggeration, the Dollar which goes for over N1000 is more precious than gold, as the local folks would say. This puts a lot of pressure on a number of organisations doing business in Nigeria; Multichoice has only responded.

What then should be done? A conversation between the various stakeholders is very necessary at this point in time to achieve some level of persuasion and not coercion. Ebuebu has promised to excite the broadcast environment and make it attractive for operators to do business. Such action has become very urgent.

This government should forget all obnoxious estimation of the country and begin to fix the business environment which has eaten up so many corporate organisations. The manufacturers are complaining. The international airlines say their funds of over $800m are held down. Telcos are struggling to survive. The Naira has lost the battle against the Dollar and the citizenry are struggling against hyperinflation that has made living a nightmare in their own country. The government should do something urgently. After all, the campaigns are over. This now is reality. People and businesses are seeking the best from a government that promised renewed hope.

DStv is one of the oldest pay TV services in Kenya. Owned by MultiChoice, DStv has a wide range of TV and radio channels users can access. The number of channels a user can access depends on the specific package they choose. With all DStv packages, you do need a satellite dish and a decoder.

DStv Kenya is popular for its Sports channels under SuperSport. It is particularly popular as it broadcasts all English Premier league matches on SuperSport Premier League Channel 203. If you are a football fan this is the channel to stick to as well as some other Sports oriented channels on SuperSport.

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