BREAKING. The average monthly satellite TV bill in America for DirecTV is now R1 045.50 - how does that compare to South Africa?

The average monthly bill for subscribers in America to DirecTV - one of America's two largest satellite pay-TV platforms - has now risen to R1 045.50 or $102 Variety reports - the first time the average monthly price has gone over $100.

That's not of course the most expensive monthly package DirectTV has, but the average revenue per subscriber DirecTV gets per month.

South African pay-TV subscribers are vocal about having to pay R625 per month for DStv Premium, MultiChoice's most expensive DStv offering which then still adds fees for possible PVR use.

Yes, a direct comparison isn't possible between an established market like the United States and South Africa. And for that price DirectTV offers many more TV channels than DStv (its DirecTV Premier bouquet has 285 channels for instance), and the aveerage subscriber gets many more HD channels, and a much bigger capacity HD PVR.

It is however interesting to note the parity. Pay-TV subscribers in South Africa will often bemoan the fact that they're paying more or higher monthly premium prices than America or elsewhere, for the privilege of access to better television and premium TV content.

But it's not really accurate. For what is being offered on DStv compared price wise to America, South African pay-TV subscribers who are not paying near R1 000 per month on average, get a lot of television for every rand.