by Thinus Ferreira
StarSat says the pay-TV service will not be increasing its subscription fees this year like rivalMultiChoice and is giving a week free of the StarSat Super bouquet for StarSat Special customers who buy one month of StarSat Super.
After the Randburg-based MultiChoice on Wednesday announced its annual DStv price hike, the Midrand-based StarSat is responding by saying that "From 1 April 2023, StarSat will be increasing its prices by 0% across its pay-TV portfolio".
StarSat currently offers three packages: StarSat Special at R120 per month for 60 TV channels, StarSat Super at R230 per month for 79 TV channels, and StarSat Max at R330 per month for R140 TV channels.
StatSat, run by China's StarTimes Media, in a jab to MultiChoice, says that its 0% pay-TV increase in 2023 "is to help South
Africans afford their escapism in a country rife with difficulties".
"The Covid-19 lockdowns and the current power
crisis have caused tremendous financial strain on the people of South Africa.
StarSat's 0% price increase across its entire TV portfolio is aimed at reducing
some of that burden. StarSat hopes that these non-adjustments,
which are far below the projected inflation rate for 2023, will help its customers
continue to enjoy great TV at affordable prices."
StarSat says that "not increasing prices is the least that StarSat
can do to contribute to inclusive and affordable public access to digital
television. StarSat will continue to do its best to manage key input costs to
keep price increases below inflation".
"Our quest to enrich our content offer is on
track. We will soon announce premiere dates for several new internationally
acclaimed channels for inclusion in the Super bouquet."
StarSat also announced that it is introducing a policy to award loyal customers.
StarSat customers who've been on the StarSat Special package since
before 8 February, whether dormant or active, can now buy one month's
access to the StarSat Super bouquet and will get one week extra free. StarSat says this limited-time
offer is available until 5 March.
"If a customer commits for a year,
they will receive one month extra free," StarSat says.
StarSat's 0% increase comes as eMedia is preparing to enter the pay-TV arena with MultiChoice and StarSat soon, in the form of a pay-TV service through its own existing Openview decoders.
Openview Ultra which will be available through existing Openview decoders will offer existing Openview customers the options of adding pay-TV Bollywood and gay bouquets.
