DStv customers to pay up to Sh110,000 subscription fee
A painter works on a sign at the site where Multichoice Africa is constructing its new regional headquarters in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
MultiChoice Africa, the pay TV owner, Tuesday said the new rates are meant to cover rising operating costs.
The entry of Wananchi with its Zuku brand and StarTimes in the past three years has pushed the competition a notch higher, forcing DStv to roll out payment plans that cater for low-income earners.
DStv subscribers will pay more than Sh100,000 annually to access premium content following an increase in monthly fees announced Tuesday.
MultiChoice Africa, the pay TV owner, Tuesday said the new rates are meant to cover rising operating costs.
Subscribers on the Premium (most expensive) tariff plan will pay Sh8,200 per month from the previous Sh7,392 reflecting a 10 per cent increase.
For subscribers on the Premium tariff who opt to take up a personal video recorder (PVR), the monthly rate will be Sh9,220; equivalent to Sh110,640 per annum.
“Please be advised that MultiChoice Africa’s annual subscription price increase will become effective April 1 2015,” MultiChoice said in a statement to its subscribers.
Subscribers to the Compact Plus tariff plan will pay Sh5,550 from the previous Sh4,752, while those on Compact will now pay Sh3,250 up from Sh2,940.
Prices of its low-end tariff plans dubbed Family and Access — where it is facing stiff competition from Wananchi’s Zuku TV and StarTimes, were also increased.
Those on the Family plan will now pay Sh1,890 up from Sh1,760 while those on Access will pay Sh930 from Sh880. MultiChoice said the increase will affect subscribers across the continent.
“In determining a price increase MultiChoice takes into account many factors including the impact on the subscriber, current inflation, satellite lease costs, programming costs and efficiencies effected within the company,” the firm added.
Last week, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) put DStv’s subscribers in Kenya at 600,000 and that of StarTimes at 272,594.
The review of rates comes when DStv has tightened its grip on the Kenyan pay TV market, aided by exclusive content.
The broadcaster is, however, expected to face stiff competition as the industry regulator licences more pay TV providers with the ongoing transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The entry of Wananchi with its Zuku brand and StarTimes in the past three years has pushed the competition a notch higher, forcing DStv to roll out payment plans that cater for low-income earners.
Zuku’s Premium tariff plan retails at Sh3,999 after a 25 per cent cut in August last year. StarTimes’ StarSat comes in four tariff plans, with the cheapest being the Special where subscribers can access up to 48 channels at a monthly fee of Sh899, Smart bouquet at Sh1,799 (70 channels), Super bouquet at Sh2,499 (88 channels) and a Chinese bouquet at Sh1,499. (12 channels).
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