The disastrous Altech Node is dead with Altron shutting down the short-lived video-on-demand (VOD) console after failing to find a buyer with users who will get a R1 999 payback per black box.
With no communication about what's actually on the Node in terms of TV content, potential buyers didn't want to fork out money for a device Altron failed to market properly as "was a disastrous failure right from the beginning," according to an insider involved with the launch who spoke to TV with Thinus about the Altech Node at the beginning of this month.
The service did nothing to publicise the actual revolving TV and film content with South Africa's press and TV critics who in turn couldn't be bothered to tell people what the Altech Node contained to watch or why people should bother to watch or get it.
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The Altech Node launched in September 2014 costing an expensive R3 499 with an additional monthly subscription fee of R299 that was required.
It's now shutting shop after exactly a year, ending subscriptions and shutting down at the end of October, with customer who bought it getting a refund of R1 999 per Node device in November.
The Altech Node's Twitter account has already been dumped.
Altron tried to offload the expensive Altech Node flop but couldn't clinch a successful sale for the consumer technology product which didn't make a dent against MultiChoice's DStv, StarSat or other pay-TV services.
"Unfavourable conditions such as the current economic environment which is putting pressure on the consumer and increased competition in the video-on-demand (VOD) environment have necessitated us to make the difficult decision to close the Altech Node business," says Altron chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Venter in a statement.
"We overestimated the readiness of the South African market for such a pioneering service, combining both VOD and smart home services. The technology in the Altech Node is highly innovative and world class and will continue to be owned by Altron."
"The Altron group deeply regrets any inconvenience caused to our customers through the termination of this service, which was unfortunately necessary, but based on sound and prudent financial principles."
